William R. Hewlett Died: January 12, 2001 The last name of
William R. Hewlett is best known as the first half of Hewlett-
Packard, the innovative company that set a model for the entire
Silicon Valley. The order of names in the original partnership
was determined by a coin toss, and the outcome might be seen as
ironic: Hewlett, a quiet, self-effacing man, rarely put himself
forward. David Packard, the other half of the partnership, was
much more outgoing. In their complementary relationship, Packard
concentrated on the nuts and bolts of production, while Hewlett
was more proficient in technical innovation, starting with the
company’s first product, an audio oscillator. Hewlett’s
contribution, ultimately as president and CEO in the 1970s, was
key. William R. Hewlett was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. At that
time his father, Dr. A. W. Hewlett, was a professor of medicine
at the University of Michigan. Three years later he accepted a
similar post at Stanford University, and moved the family to
California, where hi