University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The Grainger College of Engineering

O. Thomas Purl

[title]
To O. Thomas Purl, industrial electronics executive, for his engineering achievements in microwave electronics, and for his contributions to the development and technical management of a leading microwave company.

Vice President, Devices Group, Watkins-Johnson Company, Palo Alto, California

  • PhD, Electrical Engineering, 1954

Thomas Purl joined Watkins-Johnson in 1959 as its tenth employee. Today he is vice president of the company's 800-man Devices Group that consists of the solid state, tube, and Stewart divisions and associated sales activities. He has played a first-hand role in the development of the many electronic products Watkins-Johnson now produces. To document further his direct engineering contribution at Watkins-Johnson, one needs only mention his patents on basic periodic-permanent-magnet focusing techniques for microwave tubes. These designs have made possible lightweight TWT's that have been made by the thousands by different manufacturers.

The Devices Group is a key component in Watkins-Johnson's activities and Mr. Purl's management skill, insight, and technical direction over the years have earned the group its excellent reputation.

Current as of 1977.