Gary Burrell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gary Leon Burrell August 24, 1937 Stilwell, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | June 12, 2019(2019-06-12) (aged 81) Spring Hill, Kansas, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Wichita State University (B.S., Electrical Engineering) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (M.S.) |
| Occupation(s) | electrical engineer and entrepreneur |
| Known for | co-founder of the Garmin GPS company |
Gary Leon Burrell (August 24, 1937 – June 12, 2019) was an American electrical engineer, businessman, and philanthropist. He was the co-founder, withMin Kao, and chairman emeritus ofGarmin, makers of popularGlobal Positioning System devices.
Gary Burrell was born in 1937. He earned his undergraduate degree inelectrical engineering fromWichita State University and a master's degree fromRensselaer Polytechnic Institute.[1][2]
Burrell worked forLowrance Electronics andKing Radio Corporation.[2] In the early 1980s, he worked forAllied Signal.[1]
Along with partnerMin Kao, Burrell founded Garmin in 1989 to make navigation devices for aviation and boating using the Global Positioning System.[1] Their original office was two folding chairs and a card table. Some U.S. servicemen used Garmin GPS during the firstGulf War, even though Garmin never had a military contract. Later on, the technology was expanded for the U.S. market, providing directions across all United States roads and highways.
Burrell was a significant donor to the Indian Creek Community Church inOlathe,Kansas.[3]
In September 2024, Burrell was inducted into theNational Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio.[4]
Burrell was married and had three children.[1] He resided inSpring Hill, Kansas.[1] As of 2016, Burrell was a billionaire.[1] He died on June 12, 2019 at the age of 81 from complications of Parkinson's disease.[5][6][7]