The Resume

(September 7, 1912-March 26, 1996)
Born in Pueblo, Colorado
Co-founder of Hewlett-Packard (1939)
Served as HP President (1947-64), CEO (1964-68) and Chairman of the Board (1964-68,1972-93)
US Deputy Secretary of Defense (1969-71)
Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1988)
Net worth at death: $3.7 billion

Why he might be annoying:

Growing up, he had 'an avid interest in any type of explosive.'
His attempts to apply business principals to the Department of Defense's procurement system were often stymied, and when he left he said the Pentagon could do just as well picking names from a hat.
As a lifelong Republican, he complained about fellow Silicon Valley execs getting caught in the 'updraft of Bill Clinton's hot air balloon.'
Long after he relinquished day to day control over HP, company executives would debate what he would have done before making decisions.

Why he might not be annoying:

At Stanford, he lettered in football, basketball and track.
He promoted a low-key management style at HP.
As a philanthropist, he supported Stanford University, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, film preservation and digitizing the Library of Congress.
His garage in Palo Alto, California, was designated a historic landmark by the state as 'the Birthplace of Silicon Valley.'
He said, 'Don't be afraid to make mistakes. If you don't make mistakes, you're not reaching far enough.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 44]
• I Attended Stanford
• I Attended University of Colorado-Boulder
• I Died in 1996 (Ranked: 83)
• I Named My Kid After Myself
• I'm a Billionaire
• My Name, My Company
• Phi Beta Kappa Fraternity
• Profiles 33251-33500 (Ranked: 33484)
• U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients
• We Died on the Same Day (Ranked: 19960326)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 18 Votes: 11.11% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 12 Votes: 41.67% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying