Patrick E. Haggerty


Patrick Eugene Haggerty was an American engineer and businessman. He was a co-founder and former president and chairman of Texas Instruments, Incorporated. Haggerty is most responsible for turning a small Texas oil exploration company into the leader in semiconductors that Texas Instruments is today. Under his influence, the company invested in transistors when their commercial value was still much in question; his company created the first silicon transistor, the first commercial transistor radio, and the first integrated circuit.

Early life

Pat Haggerty was born in Harvey, North Dakota, the son of Michael Eugene and Lillian Haggerty in 1914. In 1936, Pat graduated summa cum laude from the Marquette University School of Electrical Engineering.

Career

In November 1945 Haggerty joined Geophysical Service Incorporated in Dallas as general manager of the newly formed Laboratory and Manufacturing Division, with responsibility for developing the research, engineering, and manufacturing phases of the company's operations. In December 1951 GSI became Texas Instruments Incorporated. In 1951 Haggerty became executive vice president and director, in 1958 president, and in 1966 chairman, a post he held until retiring.
While at Texas Instruments, Haggerty developed his concepts of Strategic Management. This resulted in his objectives, strategies, tactics system of managing innovation.
Haggerty was active in the Institute of Radio Engineers, serving as its president in 1962. He was co-chair of the committee that merged the IRE and the American Institute of Electrical Engineers into the present Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Haggerty was a Fellow of the IEEE. In 1968 Haggery was awarded the IEEE Founders Medal "For outstanding contributions to the leadership of the electrical and electronics engineering profession, with special reference to the development of the worldwide semiconductor industry and service to the profession through his contributions leading to the creation of the IEEE.". In 1969, he was the IRI Medal recipient, awarded by the Industrial Research Institute.

Legacy

Haggerty and his wife left part of their estate to found a museum of art at his alma mater which led to the founding of the Patrick and Beatrice Haggerty Museum of Art.