David Packard
Co-founder of Hewlett-Packard and US Deputy Secretary of Defense
- Lived
- 83 yrs
- 1912 – 1996
- Works listed
- 1
- Book
- Honours
- 2
- Most recent 1988
- Profile views
- 2
- 0 followers
David Packard was an American engineer and businessman who co-founded Hewlett-Packard with Bill Hewlett in 1939 and led it as president, CEO and chairman. He served as US Deputy Secretary of Defense under Richard Nixon and founded the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Biography
Stanford and GE
Packard grew up in Pueblo, Colorado, and studied electrical engineering at Stanford, where he played football. He worked at General Electric before returning to Palo Alto.
HP
In 1939 he and Hewlett founded HP in his rented garage. Packard focused on management and business; he was president from 1947 and chairman for most of the period to 1993.
Washington
From 1969 to 1971 he was Deputy Secretary of Defense, reforming weapons purchasing.
Philanthropy
He and his wife Lucile founded the Packard Foundation, and he co-founded the Monterey Bay Aquarium and its research institute. His book The HP Way (1995) described the company’s culture. He died in 1996.
Timeline
-
1912
Born in Pueblo, Colorado, United States
-
1934
Graduates from Stanford
-
1939
Co-founds HP
-
1947
President of HP
-
1964
Founds the Packard Foundation
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1969
Deputy Secretary of Defense
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1984
Monterey Bay Aquarium opens
-
1996
Dies
-
1996
Died, aged 83
Notable works
-
1995
The HP Way Book
Awards and honours
-
Presidential Medal of Freedom
1988
-
National Medal of Technology
1988
Did you know?
-
1
The HP garage was rented by Packard and his wife.
-
2
The Monterey Bay Aquarium was inspired by his daughters, who are marine biologists.
-
3
He left most of his fortune to his foundation.
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is David Packard?
David Packard was an American engineer and businessman who co-founded Hewlett-Packard with Bill Hewlett in 1939 and led it as president, CEO and chairman. He served as US Deputy Secretary of Defense under Richard Nixon and founded the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
When did David Packard die?
David Packard died on 26 March 1996 at the age of 83.
Where is David Packard from?
David Packard was born in Pueblo, Colorado, United States.
What is David Packard known for?
David Packard is best known for Co-founding HP (1939); the HP Way; US Deputy Secretary of Defense (1969–71); Packard Foundation.
What awards has David Packard received?
Notable honours include Presidential Medal of Freedom (1988), National Medal of Technology (1988).
References
- David Packard — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- David Packard — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- David Packard — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- David Packard (Q380484) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “David Packard”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“David Packard.” TrackFame, last updated 5 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/david-packard
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