Bill Hewlett
The quiet engineering genius whose partnership in a Palo Alto garage birthed Silicon Valley and a revolutionary style of humane management.
1913–2001 (age 88)·American engineer·Birthday: May 20·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bill Hewlett was the technical yin to David Packard's business yang, a man whose curiosity for how things worked forged a global empire. The partnership, famously begun with $538 in a one-car garage in 1938, was built on Hewlett's foundational invention: the Model 200A audio oscillator, a cheaper, more reliable instrument that won Walt Disney as their first major client. More than just a brilliant engineer, Hewlett co-created the 'HP Way,' a decentralized, people-first management philosophy that valued innovation, trust, and respect for the individual—a radical departure from the top-down corporate norms of the mid-20th century. His leadership, often described as humble and approachable, helped guide HP from a maker of test equipment into a pioneering force in computing, setting the cultural template for the entire Valley.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bill was born in 1913, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1913
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1913Born
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Started school
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Became a teenager
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Could drive
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1931Could vote
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Turned 21
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1943Turned 30
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 40
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 50
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 60
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 70
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 80
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2001Died at 88
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
Key Achievements
- Co-founded Hewlett-Packard with David Packard in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, a birthplace of Silicon Valley.
- Invented the HP Model 200A audio oscillator, the company's first product, which was used by Walt Disney Studios for the film 'Fantasia'.
- Served as President, CEO, and Chairman of Hewlett-Packard, steering its growth into a computing and technology giant.
- Co-established the 'HP Way,' a influential management style emphasizing innovation, employee respect, and corporate responsibility.
Did You Know?
He had severe dyslexia throughout his life, which he considered a key reason he focused on engineering and hands-on problem solving.
The order of the company name (Hewlett-Packard) was decided by a coin toss.
He was an avid outdoorsman and fly fisherman, passions he shared with David Packard.
He served as president of the Boy Scouts of America's Stanford Area Council.
“The greatest success goes to the person who is not afraid to fail in front of even the largest audience.”
