Wil Houde

Wilfrid Joseph "Wil" Houde (July 30, 1937 – March 29, 2017) was an early employee and executive of Apple Computer.
==Early life and education==
Houde was raised in . He received a B.S. in electrical engineering from (WPI) in 1959 and a M.B.A from the . He received an honorary Ph.D. in engineering from WPI in 2001.Welcome to the memorial page for Wilfrid J. Houde, Darling & Fischer Chapel of the Hills. Accessed 2022-04-29.Business people; Shift at Apple Computer, The New York Times. 1981-04-23.
==Career==
Houde joined 's management training program in 1959 and later worked at , a defense contractor. He joined Hewlett-Packard in 1964, where he became a customer engineering manager focused on reliability and service.New Assignments in Marketing (PDF) by Ed McCracken, Data Systems Newsletter p.1-2, vol.1, no.17, Hewlett-Packard. 1974-10-15.NY Telephone Company Visit (PDF) by Bob Blake, Data Systems Newsletter p.9-10, vol.3, no.10, Hewlett-Packard. 1976-04-01.
===Apple Computer===
Houde joined Apple Computer in 1979 and became director of distribution and service operations, helping to establish the customer service structure within the company. In 1981, he succeeded Thomas Whitney as the general manager of the personal computer systems division. He retired from Apple after reportedly being forced out by John Sculley, who came aboard as the new CEO in April 1983.Chapter 5: Package Goods by By Frank Rose, West of Eden: The End of Innocence at Apple Computer p.85. 1989. ISBN: 978-0140093728.
===After Apple===
Following his retirement, Houde pursued entrepreneurial opportunities. In 2009, he received a Herbert F. Taylor Alumni Award from WPI. He passed away in Los Gatos, California in March 2017.2009 Award Recipient: Wilfrid J. Houde '59 (PDF), Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 2009.
==References==
==See also==
*List of early Apple Computer employees
Category:Former Apple employees
Category:Former HP employees