David Packard

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

David Packard was born in Pueblo, Colorado, to Ella Graber and Sperry Sidney Packard, an attorney. He attended Centennial High School, where his early interests included science, engineering, sports, and leadership. At Stanford University, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1934, lettered in football and basketball, and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Alpha Delta Phi Literary Fraternity. He briefly studied at the University of Colorado at Boulder before working for General Electric in Schenectady, New York. In 1938, he returned to Stanford, earning a master’s degree in electrical engineering, and married Lucile Salter, with whom he had four children: David, Nancy, Susan, and Julie. With Bill Hewlett, whom he met at Stanford, Packard co-founded Hewlett-Packard in 1939 in his garage with $538. The company’s name was decided by a coin flip, and its first product was an audio frequency oscillator, eight of which were sold to Walt Disney Studios for testing equipment used in *Fantasia*. HP grew into the world’s largest producer of electronic testing and measurement devices, also becoming a major maker of calculators, computers, and printers. Packard served as HP’s first president from 1947 to 1964, then as CEO and chairman through 1968. He left HP in 1969 to serve as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense under President Nixon, where he introduced business resource management concepts to the military and established the Defense Systems Management College. He issued a memorandum reforming procurement, notably eliminating Total Package Procurement except in rare cases, and wrote the “Packard Memo” on using military resources during civil disturbances, which outlined exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act. He returned to HP in 1972 as chairman, serving until 1993, and oversaw a major reorganization in 1991. He also served as president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences from 1976 to 1981 and chaired its board of regents from 1973 to 1982. At his death in 1996, his HP stake was worth over $1 billion.

Reader's Guide

David Packard’s significance stems from his dual impact on technology and public service. As co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, he helped build the company into the world’s largest producer of electronic testing and measurement devices, as well as a major manufacturer of calculators, computers, and printers. His management philosophy, later described in his book *The HP Way*, emphasized innovation and employee welfare. Packard served as HP’s first president, later as CEO and chairman, and oversaw a major reorganization in 1991. He also registered HP.com in 1986, one of the earliest domain names. During the Nixon administration, Packard served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, where he introduced business-style resource management to the military and established the Defense Systems Management College. He issued a memorandum reforming procurement, notably eliminating Total Package Procurement except in rare cases. His “Packard Memo” on civil disturbances outlined exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act, allowing military use in emergencies to prevent loss of life or property damage. Later, he advised the White House on defense procurement and chaired the Packard Commission. Packard also served as president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and was a member of the Trilateral Commission. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1988 and was noted for his philanthropic endeavors.

Did You Know?

• The company's first product was an audio frequency oscillator, eight of which were sold to Walt Disney Studios for testing sound equipment used in 'Fantasia.'
• Packard served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense from 1969 to 1971 under President Richard Nixon.
• At his death, his HP stake was worth over $1 billion.