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Key people at Tektronix.
Tektronix develops and manufactures advanced test and measurement equipment, providing crucial tools for engineers and technicians across various industries. Its product portfolio encompasses a wide array of solutions, including oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, waveform generators, and specialized systems for semiconductor and battery testing. The company's core capability lies in enabling precise, reliable measurements and analysis for complex electronic systems and research applications.
The company was established in 1946 by Jack Murdock, Howard Vollum, Miles Tippery, and Glenn McDowell. A pivotal moment in its founding was Howard Vollum's invention of the world's first triggered oscilloscope. This groundbreaking innovation addressed a critical need for accurate signal visualization and analysis, laying the technical foundation for Tektronix's trajectory as a leader in measurement technology.
Tektronix serves a diverse customer base, including engineers, research professionals, and educators in sectors such as aerospace and defense, communications, and academic research. The company's vision centers on empowering these professionals to innovate and achieve technological breakthroughs with greater efficiency and accuracy. It strives to enable the design, construction, deployment, and management of next-generation global communications networks and advanced technologies.
# High-Level Overview
Tektronix is a test and measurement equipment manufacturer that pioneered oscilloscope technology and became one of the most influential companies in electronics history.[1][2] Founded in Portland, Oregon in 1946, the company specialized in designing instruments to measure and display electrical signals—tools that became indispensable for engineers across industries.[1] At its peak, Tektronix controlled approximately 75 percent of the global oscilloscope market by 1969 and held roughly 57 percent market share in 1992.[1] Beyond oscilloscopes, the company expanded into computer display terminals, color printers, and related electronic testing equipment, eventually growing into a billion-dollar enterprise.[8] In 2007, Danaher Corporation acquired Tektronix for approximately $2.8 billion, integrating it into its broader portfolio of industrial and technology businesses.[4]
The company is widely credited with "seeding the Silicon Forest"—Oregon's technology ecosystem—and catalyzing entrepreneurship through both its own innovations and the dozens of spin-off companies founded by its employees.[2][8] Tektronix contributed to major technological breakthroughs including color television, space exploration, mainframe computing, and early cellular phone development.[4]
Tektronix emerged from the ambitions of four young servicemen returning home after World War II.[1][6] Howard Vollum, a radioman from the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and Melvin Jack Murdock, a Coast Guard veteran from Portland, partnered with fellow Coast Guard veteran Miles Tippery and accountant Glenn McDowell to launch their venture.[1][2][6] In December 1945, they drafted incorporation papers for a broadly defined electronics company, initially naming it Tekrad.[1] The name changed to Tektronix one month later after discovering a California company had registered a similar name.[1]
The founders began operations in the basement of Murdock's house on Southeast Foster Road in Portland, then relocated to a storefront on Southeast Seventh and Hawthorne that housed Hawthorne Electronics, a radio retail and service business.[2] The pivotal innovation came early: Tektronix commercialized the first oscilloscope incorporating a "triggered sweep circuit," which allowed engineers to capture and display high-speed electronic events without delays or interruptions—a breakthrough that defined the company's competitive advantage.[2] The first Tektronix 511 oscilloscope sold in 1947 to the University of Oregon Medical School for approximately $800.[4]
Tektronix occupied a critical position in the postwar electronics revolution. As the field of electronics exploded in the 1940s, the company provided essential infrastructure—test and measurement tools—that enabled other technological breakthroughs.[6] Engineers designing color televisions, NASA spacecraft, IBM mainframes, and early cellular networks all relied on Tektronix equipment to validate their designs and troubleshoot problems.[4]
The company's influence extended beyond its products. By creating a culture that rewarded experimentation and entrepreneurship, Tektronix became a talent incubator for the broader Pacific Northwest tech ecosystem.[2][8] Employees who left to start their own ventures carried the company's engineering rigor and innovative mindset forward, effectively multiplying Tektronix's impact on regional economic development.
The timing was crucial: Tektronix emerged precisely when postwar industrial expansion and the nascent computer revolution created massive demand for precision measurement tools. The company's early dominance—75 percent market share in oscilloscopes by 1969—reflected both superior technology and first-mover advantage in a rapidly growing market.[1]
Tektronix's trajectory illustrates how a company built on a single transformative innovation can expand into a diversified technology leader. The company's 1963 public offering and 1964 New York Stock Exchange listing validated its business model and growth potential.[1] However, the company's later diversification into printers and other non-core areas, followed by strategic refocusing on oscilloscopes and eventual acquisition by Danaher in 2007, reflects the challenges of sustaining dominance in rapidly evolving markets.[2][4]
Today, Tektronix operates as part of Danaher's portfolio, continuing to innovate in test and measurement—a field that remains essential as electronics become more complex and ubiquitous. The company's legacy extends beyond its current market position: it demonstrated how engineering excellence, employee empowerment, and a commitment to solving real problems can build enduring value and seed entire ecosystems of innovation.
Key people at Tektronix.
