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Dr. James Truchard National Instruments president and CEO cofounded the company in 1976 while working at The University of Texas at Austin. Under Truchard's leadership National Instruments has pioneered the development of virtual instrumentation software and hardware that has revolutionized the way engineers approach measurement and automation applications.
In 1986 Truchard and Jeff Kodosky invented LabVIEW graphical development software. With LabVIEW engineers and scientists can quickly and intuitively build a customer-defined solution for measurement and automation. The intuitive graphical environment of LabVIEW revolutionized the way engineers and scientists work much like the spreadsheet provided a new way for financial professionals to do their jobs. When combined with continuously improving computer-based measurement hardware LabVIEW programs known as "virtual instruments " create measurement systems that work at ever-increasing frequencies and resolutions.
As NI has grown from a three-man team to a global organization with more than 4 000 employees Truchard has led the company with a conservative deliberate approach that has yielded steady company success. He has incited innovation growth and expansion in a highly successful worldwide enterprise while maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit that spurred the start of the company. As a result NI has seen 29 years of growth in its 30-year history.
Truchard's long-term course for NI equally balances the success of its customers employees shareholders and suppliers. Truchard and his management team have created such a winning corporate culture that FORTUNE magazine has named NI as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in America for the past eight years.
Truchard also is a recognized industry leader. In 2007 he was elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering what is widely considered to be the highest honor given in the engineering profession. He is one of only 156 Texans to be elected in the history of the Academy. Truchard was also named The University of Texas Distinguished Engineering Graduate and in 2003 he was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. In 2002 a leading electronics publication Electronic Design inducted Truchard into its Engineering Hall of Fame and in 2001 a global market consulting firm Frost & Sullivan honored him as the CEO of the Year for the test and measurement industry. In addition Worth magazine named him one of the best CEOs for three consecutive years emphasizing his focus on long-term growth and innovation.
While successfully directing the company's innovation of industry-leading software and hardware Truchard participates in many community organizations. He is a member and former chairman of the Engineering Foundation Advisory Council works closely with The University of Texas at Austin as a member of the Chancellor's Council and is a former member of the university's Electrical and Computer Engineering Visiting Committee. He is a founding member of the Austin Software Council and was a member of Texas Governor Rick Perry's Advisory Council on the Digital Economy. Truchard also is an active supporter of the NI LEGO® MINDSTORMS® program which in conjunction with Tufts University and the Pitsco LEGO Educational Division seeks to introduce students from kindergarten through high school to basic engineering and computing skills. In 2005 Governor Perry asked Truchard to chair the Texas Science Technology Engineering and Math Industry Advisory Council which directly addresses the declining interest and preparation of young people to pursue careers in technical fields.
Before founding NI Truchard worked as managing director of the acoustical measurements division at Applied Research Laboratories at The University of Texas at Austin. Truchard holds a doctorate in electrical engineering as well as a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in physics all from The University of Texas at Austin.
James Truchard's Awards and Honors
2007 - Truchard elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering
2005 - Truchard named as a member of ISA
2004 - Truchard named University of Texas Distinguished Engineering Graduate
2003 - Truchard is elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
2003 - Truchard is names one of the 50 Most Influential Industry Innovators by In Tech magazine
2002 - Electronic Design inducts Truchard into its Engineering Hall of Fame for his work in pioneering virtual instrumentation
2001 - Frost & Sullivan names Truchard as its 2001 CEO of the Year for the test and measurement industry
2001 - Worth magazine names Truchard One of the Nation's 50 Best CEOs for the third consecutive year
2000 - Worth Magazine names Truchard One of the Nation's 50 Best CEOs for the second consecutive year
1999 - Worth Magazine names Truchard on its 50 Best CEOs in the Country list
1999 - Truchard receives the Texas High Technology Master Entrepreneur of the Year Award
1987 - Truchard receives one of the first Texas High Technology Entrepreneur awards | 