# Charles R. Trimble

> Charles R. “Charlie” Trimble co-founded Trimble Navigation in 1978 and led it until 1998, helping turn GPS into commercial tools for timing, surveying and navigation. A Caltech-trained engineer and former Hewlett-Packard R&D manager, he later mentored entrepreneurs, served on company boards and supported early research at Caltech.

- **Role:** Senior Trustee at California Institute of Technology; founder and former CEO of Trimble Inc.
- **Organizations:** Trimble Inc. (formerly Trimble Navigation), Hewlett-Packard (former employer), California Institute of Technology, Trimble Foundation, National Academy of Engineering, Council on Foreign Relations, U.S. GPS Industry Council (former chair), NASA Advisory Council (former member)
- **From:** Berkeley, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BS, Engineering Physics, California Institute of Technology, MS, Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology
- **Known for:** Helped commercialize GPS receivers and real-time kinematic positioning., Led Trimble from its 1978 founding through a 1990 IPO., Member of the National Academy of Engineering.

## Career timeline

- **1964** — Joined Hewlett-Packard after a Caltech master’s degree; remained for fourteen years.
- **1978** — Co-founded Trimble Navigation after buying canceled HP Loran-C navigation technology for $50,000.
- **1982** — Purchased HP’s canceled GPS breadboard and began GPS receiver development.
- **1984** — Sold the company’s first commercial GPS receiver.
- **1990** — Led Trimble Navigation through its initial public offering.
- **1995** — Received Caltech’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
- **1996** — Established the Trimble Fund for early research at Caltech.
- **1998** — Left Trimble Navigation; subsequently mentored startups and served on company boards.
- **2002** — Elected to Caltech’s Board of Trustees.
- **2013** — Became a Caltech senior trustee.
- **2016** — Received the International von Kármán Wings Award.

## Achievements

- Helped commercialize GPS receivers and real-time kinematic positioning.
- Led Trimble from its 1978 founding through a 1990 IPO.
- Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
- 1994 Piper General Aviation Award for affordable GPS manufacture and application.
- 1995 Caltech Distinguished Alumni Award.
- 2000 American Electronics Association Medal of Achievement.
- NASA Public Service Medals in 2001 and 2004.
- 2016 International von Kármán Wings Award.
- Selected for the 2026 O.M. Miller Cartographic Medal.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Caltech announced his selection for the O.M. Miller Cartographic Medal, with presentation scheduled for September 15, 2026; the announcement does not establish that the ceremony occurred.
- **2025-11** — Spoke at the GoGeomatics Expo in Calgary and joined a fireside conversation with Bryn Fosburgh and Jonathan Murphy; coverage appeared in December 2025.
- **2022-09** — Caltech announced an $8 million Trimble Foundation gift expanding the Trimble Fund.

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/charles-trimble
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-13