Children Jen Kao Net worth 2.4 billion USD (2015) | Role Businessman Name Min Kao | |
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Similar People Gary Burrell, Jen Kao, Clifton A Pemble | ||
Organizations founded Garmin Ltd. | ||
What's Your Big Idea?—Min Kao
Min H. Kao (simplified Chinese: 高民环; traditional Chinese: 高民環; pinyin: Gāo Mínhuán) is a Taiwanese-born American electrical engineer, businessman and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of Garmin Corporation with Gary Burrell. As of August 2017, his personal wealth was estimated at $3 billion.
Contents
- Whats Your Big IdeaMin Kao
- Dedication of UTs Min Kao Engineering Building
- Early life
- Career
- Philanthropy
- Personal life
- References
Dedication of UT's Min Kao Engineering Building
Early life
Min H. Kao was born in 1949 in a small town in Taiwan called Zhushan in Nantou. He graduated from the National Taiwan University in Taiwan and earned a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee.
Career
Kao undertook research for NASA and the United States Army. He was subsequently a systems analyst for Teledyne Systems, an algorithm designer for Magnavox Advanced Products, and an engineering group leader for King Radio Corporation. He also worked for AlliedSignal.
In 1989, with Gary Burrell, Kao co-founded Garmin, a company best known for manufacturing Global Positioning System.
Philanthropy
In 2005, Kao gave $17.5 million to the College of Engineering of the University of Tennessee, $12.5 million of which was designated for the construction of a new facility. In May 2007, groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted for the new Min Kao Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building. The building was dedicated in March 2012.
Personal life
Kao is married to Fan Kao. They have a son, Ken Kao, who is a film producer, and a daughter, Jen Kao, who is a fashion designer. They reside in Leawood, Kansas. In 2011, he purchased an apartment in 15 Central Park West, Manhattan, New York City.