James Truchard
Encyclopedia
Dr. James Joseph Truchard (born June 25, 1943 in Austin County, Texas
) is the co-founder and current president
and CEO of National Instruments
, a company producing automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software. Truchard is a member of the National Academy of Engineering
and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
.
, the fourth of seven children born to Joe Truchard and Lillie Schneider. Truchard earned a B.S.
and an M.S.
in physics
, and a Ph.D.
in electrical engineering
from the University of Texas at Austin
. Following his graduation, Truchard worked as managing director of the acoustical measurements division at the U.T. Applied Research Laboratories.
and began designing an interface board.
The group hired their first employee, Kim Harrison-Hoson in 1977 to process orders and deal with customers. Truchard's job at UT had provided him with some experience in developing products but not with managing employees or a business, so he read many books on the business and management principles in order to learn how to run a company. In 1980, as they reached $300,000 in sales, Truchard was able to leave his job at UT to concentrate on his new company full-time.
In 1986, in conjunction with Kodosky, Truchard played a pivotal role in the development of the LabVIEW
graphical development software, which allows scientists to quickly build solutions for their measurement and automation needs. The graphical programming interface that LabVIEW provided revolutionized the way engineers and scientists worked.
Affectionately known to his employees as "Dr. T," Truchard insists that he and others in the management structure at NI remain accessible to their employees. Despite his stature as the sole CEO in the company's history, Truchard is still an approachable and down-to-earth individual. He still drives an old pick up truck to work, where he does not have an assigned parking space. Unless he is scheduled to attend an external business meeting, Truchard wears denim jeans to work every day, and sits in a cubicle in the middle of the 8th floor, where employees are free to walk up and discuss any issues they might have.
.
Truchard is a member and former chairman of the Engineering Foundation Advisory Council, and is a member of the University of Texas Chancellor's Council. He previously served on the UT Electrical and Computer Engineering Visiting Committee, and was a founding member of the Austin Software Council. Texas
governor
Rick Perry
appointed Truchard to the state's Advisory Council on the Digital Economy and invited Truchard to chair the Texas Science, Technology, and Math Industry Advisory Council, which seeks to reverse the declining interest of young people in technical careers.
in a house overlooking Lake Travis
. They have four grown children, including Michael, who works in the IT department at National Instruments.
Austin County, Texas
Austin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas adjacent to the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 28,417 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Bellville. Austin County is named for Stephen F...
) is the co-founder and current president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and CEO of National Instruments
National Instruments
National Instruments Corporation, or NI , is an American company with over 5,000 employees and direct operations in 41 countries. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, it is a producer of automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software...
, a company producing automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software. Truchard is a member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences or Kungl. Ingenjörsvetenskapsakademien , founded in 1919 by King Gustaf V, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
.
Biography
James Joseph Truchard was born June 25, 1943 in Austin County, TexasAustin County, Texas
Austin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas adjacent to the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 28,417 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Bellville. Austin County is named for Stephen F...
, the fourth of seven children born to Joe Truchard and Lillie Schneider. Truchard earned a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and an M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. Following his graduation, Truchard worked as managing director of the acoustical measurements division at the U.T. Applied Research Laboratories.
Founding a Company
After two years of working for U.T., Truchard realized that there was little room for promotion unless one of his coworkers retired. As he often remarks, he "didn't see a job I wanted [in Austin] - so I created one!" Working with colleagues Jeff Kodosky and Bill Nowlin, Truchard was part of a project conducting research for the U.S. Navy that allowed them to use early computer technology to collect and analyze data. Frustrated with the inefficient data collection methods they were using, the three decided to create a product that would enable their task to be done more easily. In 1976, working in the garage at Truchard's home, the three founded National InstrumentsNational Instruments
National Instruments Corporation, or NI , is an American company with over 5,000 employees and direct operations in 41 countries. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, it is a producer of automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software...
and began designing an interface board.
The group hired their first employee, Kim Harrison-Hoson in 1977 to process orders and deal with customers. Truchard's job at UT had provided him with some experience in developing products but not with managing employees or a business, so he read many books on the business and management principles in order to learn how to run a company. In 1980, as they reached $300,000 in sales, Truchard was able to leave his job at UT to concentrate on his new company full-time.
In 1986, in conjunction with Kodosky, Truchard played a pivotal role in the development of the LabVIEW
LabVIEW
LabVIEW is a system design platform and development environment for a visual programming language from National Instruments. LabVIEW provides engineers and scientists with the tools needed to create and deploy measurement and control systems.The graphical language is named "G"...
graphical development software, which allows scientists to quickly build solutions for their measurement and automation needs. The graphical programming interface that LabVIEW provided revolutionized the way engineers and scientists worked.
National Instruments
After the release of LabVIEW, the company's future seemed secured. Under Truchard's leadership, NI has seen growth and record revenue in 32 of its 34 years ( except 2001 and 2009). With the goal of balancing the success of customers, employees, shareholders, and suppliers, Truchard has led with a conservative, deliberate approach. The company focuses on innovation, growth, and expansion and prizes innovation and entrepreneurship, and has been named as one of the Fortune "100 Best Companies to Work For" for twelve consecutive years (2000-2011).Affectionately known to his employees as "Dr. T," Truchard insists that he and others in the management structure at NI remain accessible to their employees. Despite his stature as the sole CEO in the company's history, Truchard is still an approachable and down-to-earth individual. He still drives an old pick up truck to work, where he does not have an assigned parking space. Unless he is scheduled to attend an external business meeting, Truchard wears denim jeans to work every day, and sits in a cubicle in the middle of the 8th floor, where employees are free to walk up and discuss any issues they might have.
Professional Activities and Recognition
Shortly after the development of LabVIEW, in 1987 Truchard received one of the first Texas High Technology Entrepreneur awards. Twelve years later he was awarded a Texas High Technology Master Entrepreneur of the Year honor. He was named one of the nation's 50 Best CEOs in three consecutive years by Worth Magazine. In 2002, Truchard was inducted into the Electronic Design Engineering Hall of Fame, and the following year he was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. He has also been named a University of Texas Distinguished Engineering Graduate, and in 2007 Truchard was elected to the National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
.
Truchard is a member and former chairman of the Engineering Foundation Advisory Council, and is a member of the University of Texas Chancellor's Council. He previously served on the UT Electrical and Computer Engineering Visiting Committee, and was a founding member of the Austin Software Council. Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
appointed Truchard to the state's Advisory Council on the Digital Economy and invited Truchard to chair the Texas Science, Technology, and Math Industry Advisory Council, which seeks to reverse the declining interest of young people in technical careers.
Personal life
Truchard and his wife, Wanda, live in Austin, TexasAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in a house overlooking Lake Travis
Lake Travis
Lake Travis is a reservoir on the Colorado River in central Texas in the United States. The reservoir was formed in 1942 by the construction of Mansfield Dam on the western edge of Austin, Texas by the Lower Colorado River Authority...
. They have four grown children, including Michael, who works in the IT department at National Instruments.