• …lived in Palo Alto before he entered the army.2222

• Co-Founder of Hewlett-Packard.2208

• [excerpts] Bill Hewlett, co-founder with David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, died January 12, 2001. As one of the preeminent entrepreneurs of the past century, it seems fitting to add his story to our "Entrepreneurs of Note" in honor of his accomplishments.
William Redington Hewlett was born May 20, 1913, in Ann Arbor, Mich. He moved to California at age 3, when his father, a physician, joined the faculty at Stanford Medical School. As a boy, Hewlett showed a keen interest in science, conducting many physics and chemistry experiments and demonstrations. In 1930, he enrolled at Stanford University.
Hewlett became friends with David Packard during their undergraduate days at Stanford. While at Stanford, both Hewlett and Packard were influenced strongly by the teaching of one of their professors, Frederick E. Terman, a pioneer in the field of radio engineering. At Terman's urging, the two young men explored starting an electronics company. On Jan. 1, 1939, they founded Hewlett-Packard Company. The company's first "plant" was a small garage in Palo Alto, and the initial capital amounted to $538. The legendary garage -- designated the birthplace of Silicon Valley -- is a California state historical landmark.
The graduate thesis Hewlett wrote while at Stanford -- which focused on practical applications for the new electrical-engineering technology of negative feedback -- became the basis for HP's first product, the audio oscillator. One of the young company's first orders was from Walt Disney Studios, which used eight of the products to develop the state-of-the-art soundtrack for the movie "Fantasia." Despite their lack of business experience, the two entrepreneurs realized a modest profit in their first year in business -- starting an unbroken string of 61 consecutive years in the black.
Hewlett resigned as president in 1977 and retired as chief executive officer in 1978. He then served as chairman of HP's executive committee until 1983, when he became vice chairman of the HP board of directors. In 1987, he was named director emeritus.
Throughout his HP career, Hewlett was a constant presence at HP Laboratories, often working side by side with the engineers at the company's research center. He was known for his uncanny ability to understand how new technologies could become successful products in the marketplace.
His contributions have made a difference in each of our lives, not only technologically, but in style of management. In his "Random Thoughts on Creativity" he shares his vision of what nourishes creativity, the spark of entrepreneurism. His leadership has opened the doors for entrepreneurs everywhere.2230

• [excerpts] He attended Lowell High School and was accepted at Stanford University as a favor to his late father, Albion Walter Hewlett, who had died prematurely of a brain tumor in 1925.
He was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity during his time at Stanford and MIT.
Hewlett attended classes taught by Fred Terman at Stanford and became acquainted with David Packard during his undergraduate work at Stanford. He and Packard began discussing forming a company in August of 1937, and formally incorporated Hewlett-Packard Company on January 1, 1939.
He was President of HP from 1964 to 1977, and served as CEO from 1968 to 1978, when he was succeeded by John A. Young. He remained chairman of the executive committee until 1983, and then served as vice chairman of the board until 1987.2232

• Bill Hewlett, another engineering genius in the family, who was, incidentally, totally dyslexic. He got through Stanford University by having private tutors read him his lessons. He was an absolutely down-to-earth man, who, despite his billions, got confused on whether to eat his salad first and let his meal get cold, or leave the salad to last. He was very kind to me, but didn't leave me any money. Pity.2077

• Mom also mentioned having lunch with Bill Hewlett in 1979. He never knew how it was that Ada from Ohio came to meet up with that sly fox Redington from Maine.2080

• 1920 Census: San Francisco, San Francisco, California. Age Un., b MI. Parents b CA.2202
• 1930 Census: San Francisco, San Francisco, California. Age 16, b MI. Parents b CA.2203