William B. Webber

Electrical Engineering
Class of 1934, BS

William B. Webber was born in Pennsylvania, attended elementary and secondary schools in upstate New York, and then traveled to the Commonwealth in 1930 to attend Virginia Tech. He graduated in 1934 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and a commission in the U.S. Army Signal Corps Reserve.

For the next eight years, he was employed in marine sales by Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York. In early 1942, he was called to active duty at Fort Monmouth and the Signal Corps Radar Laboratory. When he left the military, he held the rank of major and chief, Production Engineering Division. After being discharged at the end of World War II, he moved his family to Portland, Oregon, where he returned to Westinghouse Electric.

In early 1951, Mr. Webber was recruited by one of the founders of Tektronix, Inc. to join with the then 100 employees with the job description of “help Jack,” the other founder. In 1954, he was elected Vice-President. Tektronix was a leader with a high-quality, high-performance product line, guaranteeing steady high acceptance and growth. Mr. Webber helped start and served as Trustee and Administrator of the Tektronix Foundation, which in 1953 was one of the first corporate giving foundations. He continued in his position with the Foundation until his retirement.

Mr. Webber has had a long and distinguished professional career. His service to the community is equally impressive. He was selected President of the Portland Chamber of Commerce, President of the Portland Youth Philharmonic, Board Chairman of the Meridian Park Hospital, and Trustee of the Independent College Funds of America. He also has served as Trustee and Vice Chairman of Williamette University, Trustee and Chairman of the Oregon Foundation for Medical Excellence, Development Fund Vice Chairman of the Columbia Williamette United Way, and Oregon Chapter Co-Chairman of the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

Mr. Webber is a member of Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering Committee of 100. In 1986, he was named the College’s Distinguished Alumnus. In October of 1998, he was inducted as one of the first eight in the Academy of Distinguished Alumni of the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech.

Class of: 1934
Year Inducted into Academy: 1999