Howard Vollum
Encyclopedia
Charles Howard Vollum an engineer, scientist, and philanthropist, was the co-founder of Tektronix
Corporation, and endowed the Vollum Institute.
. He attended Portland's Catholic Columbia University (now University of Portland
) from 1931 to 1933, but transferred to Reed College
in 1934, where in 1936 he received a Bachelor of Arts in Physics. His undergraduate thesis was the creation of a new kind of cathode-ray oscilloscope
.
Upon graduation from college, he spent several years servicing and installing radios and experimenting with electronic devices. From 1940 to 1941 he was Supervisor of the Radio Project, NYA
, in Portland. Vollum served as an officer in the United States Army
Signal Corps from 1942 to 1946, serving in England and New Jersey on artillery fire control radar. He was later awarded the Legion of Merit
for this work.
He was awarded the Howard N. Potts Medal in 1973.
Vollum died on February 5, 1986. His wife, Jean Vollum, continued to serve on the Tektronix board of directors until mandatory retirement at age 70, and continued philanthropy until her death in 2007. Vollum is survived by his five sons.
with Jack Murdock, stating its purpose in the articles of incorporation as: "to install, repair, service and sell, purchase, manufacture and otherwise acquire and deal in radio and other instruments." By 1951, the company had 300 employees and sales of $4 million; by 1959, there were 3,000 employees with sales at $32 million. Tektronix had become the leading oscilloscopes and test equipment manufacturer, a position that held up until the 1970s.
in Portland, Oregon where he has a prominent academic building and student activity program in his name. Vollum helped found the Oregon Graduate Institute
(now part of OHSU) in 1965 with a $2 million grant, and upon his death in 1986, he bequeathed $14.8 million to the college as an endowment.
Howard and Jean Vollum also funded the construction of the Library Building at Mount Angel Abbey
in Mt. Angel, Oregon. This award winning building was one of very few buildings in the United States designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto
and remains today a remarkable architectural accomplishment.
Tektronix
Tektronix, Inc. is an American company best known for its test and measurement equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and video and mobile test protocol equipment. In November 2007, Tektronix became a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation....
Corporation, and endowed the Vollum Institute.
Background
Howard Vollum was born on May 31, 1913, in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. He attended Portland's Catholic Columbia University (now University of Portland
University of Portland
The University of Portland is a private Roman Catholic university located in Portland, Oregon. It is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross and is the sister school of the University of Notre Dame. Founded in 1901, UP has a student body of about 3,600 students...
) from 1931 to 1933, but transferred to Reed College
Reed College
Reed College is a private, independent, liberal arts college located in southeast Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1908, Reed is a residential college with a campus located in Portland's Eastmoreland neighborhood, featuring architecture based on the Tudor-Gothic style, and a forested canyon wilderness...
in 1934, where in 1936 he received a Bachelor of Arts in Physics. His undergraduate thesis was the creation of a new kind of cathode-ray oscilloscope
Oscilloscope
An oscilloscope is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of constantly varying signal voltages, usually as a two-dimensional graph of one or more electrical potential differences using the vertical or 'Y' axis, plotted as a function of time,...
.
Upon graduation from college, he spent several years servicing and installing radios and experimenting with electronic devices. From 1940 to 1941 he was Supervisor of the Radio Project, NYA
Nya
NYA may stand for:*National Youth Agency*NYSE Composite Index *Nabih Youssef & Associates*North Yarmouth Academy*National Youth Administration*New York Airways...
, in Portland. Vollum served as an officer in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Signal Corps from 1942 to 1946, serving in England and New Jersey on artillery fire control radar. He was later awarded the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
for this work.
He was awarded the Howard N. Potts Medal in 1973.
Vollum died on February 5, 1986. His wife, Jean Vollum, continued to serve on the Tektronix board of directors until mandatory retirement at age 70, and continued philanthropy until her death in 2007. Vollum is survived by his five sons.
Tektronix
In 1945, Vollum co-founded TektronixTektronix
Tektronix, Inc. is an American company best known for its test and measurement equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and video and mobile test protocol equipment. In November 2007, Tektronix became a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation....
with Jack Murdock, stating its purpose in the articles of incorporation as: "to install, repair, service and sell, purchase, manufacture and otherwise acquire and deal in radio and other instruments." By 1951, the company had 300 employees and sales of $4 million; by 1959, there were 3,000 employees with sales at $32 million. Tektronix had become the leading oscilloscopes and test equipment manufacturer, a position that held up until the 1970s.
The Vollum Institute
Vollum's innate interest in science also drew him to the neuroscience laboratories at the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) where he knew his oscilloscope could be applied to healthcare research. He developed an interest in experiments measuring bio-electrical phenomena, and this ultimately provided his philanthropic motivation and led Vollum to endow an institute for advanced biomedical research at OHSU.Other activities
Vollum supported many other Oregon educational institutions including Reed CollegeReed College
Reed College is a private, independent, liberal arts college located in southeast Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1908, Reed is a residential college with a campus located in Portland's Eastmoreland neighborhood, featuring architecture based on the Tudor-Gothic style, and a forested canyon wilderness...
in Portland, Oregon where he has a prominent academic building and student activity program in his name. Vollum helped found the Oregon Graduate Institute
OGI School of Science and Engineering
The OGI School of Science and Engineering, located in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States is one of the four schools of the Oregon Health and Science University . Until June 2001, it functioned independently as a public graduate school, the Oregon Graduate Institute . OGI operates four departments and...
(now part of OHSU) in 1965 with a $2 million grant, and upon his death in 1986, he bequeathed $14.8 million to the college as an endowment.
Howard and Jean Vollum also funded the construction of the Library Building at Mount Angel Abbey
Mount Angel Abbey
Mount Angel Abbey is a community of Benedictine monks near the city of Mt. Angel, Oregon, United States. It was established in 1882 from the Abbey of Engelberg, Switzerland. The abbey, located on the top of Mount Angel, a 485-foot high butte, has its own post office separate from the city of Mt....
in Mt. Angel, Oregon. This award winning building was one of very few buildings in the United States designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto
Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware...
and remains today a remarkable architectural accomplishment.