Min Kao & family
Overview
- Source of Wealth
- Navigation equipment
- Industry
- Technology
- Residence
- Leawood, Kansas
- Education
- National Taiwan University (Bachelor of Arts/Science)University of Tennessee Knoxville (Doctorate)University of Tennessee Knoxville (Master of Science)
- Marital Status
- Married
- Children
- 2
Assets
- Garmin Ltd.18,219,000 shares @ --GRMN-US
Biography
Min Kao cofounded GPS maker Garmin with the late Gary Burrell in 1989, after the duo led development of the first GPS navigator at Allied Signal.
Kao is executive chairman of the navigation firm, which has annual revenue of about $6 billion and makes everything from GPS for cars to weather radar for airplanes.
Garmin has brought GPS navigation and wearable technology to the automotive, outdoor, fitness, aviation, and marine markets.
Kao stepped down as CEO in 2012 but remains executive chairman and a member of the board.
Kao came to the U.S. from Taiwan in the 1970s and got a master's and a Ph.D. in engineering at the University of Tennessee.
About
Garmin is a mix of the first names of cofounders Gary Burrell and Min Kao.
While pursuing his Ph.D at the University of Tennessee, Kao worked as a researcher for NASA and the U.S. Army.
Kao's son, Ken Kao, is a Hollywood producer who has backed films including "The Favourite" and "The Nice Guys."