David Packard (September 7, 1912 - March 26, 1996) was a cofounder of Hewlett-Packard. Born in Pueblo, Colorado, he received his B.A. from Stanford University in 1934. Afterwards he worked for the General Electric Company in Schenectady, New York.

In 1938 he returned from New York to Stanford, where he earned the degree of electrical engineer, and in 1939 he and William Hewlett established their firm in Packard's garage with a capital of $538. The company, where Packard proved to be an expert administrator and Hewlett provided many technical innovations, grew into the world's largest producer of electronic testing and measurement devices. It also became a major producer of calculators, computers, and laser and ink jet printers.

Packard served as Hewlett-Packard's president from 1947 to 1964, chief executive officer from 1964 to 1968, and chairman of the board from 1964 to 1968 and from 1972 to 1993.

Upon entering office in 1969, President Richard M. Nixon appointed Packard U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense under Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird. Packard served until 1971, when he resigned and returned to Hewlett-Packard the next year as chairman of the board. In the 1970s and 1980s Packard was a prominent advisor to the White House on defense procurement and management.

External links

• David Packard obituary from www.obits.com, with link to William Hewlett obituary as well

• Official biography at HP site