{{short description|American computer engineer}} {{Infobox person | name = Dixie Tyran Garr | birth_place = Dubach, Louisiana | alma_mater = Grambling State University <br> University of California, Los Angeles | employer = Cisco Systems <br> Texas Instruments }}
'''Dixie Tyran Garr''' (born 1956) is an American computer engineer who served as Vice President at Cisco Systems and Head of Software Engineering at Texas Instruments.
== Early life and education == Garr was born in Dubach, Louisiana.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/2001/05/30/women2.html#75d41cbf58bc|title=Phenomenal Women: Dixie Garr|last=ASAP|first=Stanley Crouch, Forbes|date=|website=Forbes|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010604201947/http://www.forbes.com:80/2001/05/30/women2.html |archive-date=2001-06-04 |access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref> She was the youngest of her eight brothers and sisters, and graduated top of her class.<ref name=":0" /> She graduated ''summa cum laude'' with a degree in computer science from Grambling State University in 1975.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KQP8R-my0s0C&q=Dixie+Garr&pg=PA35|title=US Black Engineer & IT|date=1997|publisher=Career Communications Group|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I9rnRv299koC&q=dixie+Garr+grambling&pg=PA14|title=US Black Engineer & IT|date=2000|publisher=Career Communications Group|isbn=|location=|pages=|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zdUDAAAAMBAJ&q=dixie+Garr+grambling&pg=PA53|title=Ebony|date=2002|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|isbn=|location=|pages=|language=en}}</ref> During her college degree she interned at General Motors.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.diversitycrossing.com/article/1450072/Blazing-the-Trail-for-African-American-Women-in-IT/|title=Blazing the Trail for African-American Women in IT|date=2012-05-30|website=DiversityCrossing.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref> She was a graduate student at University of California, Los Angeles, where she worked as a Hughes Aircraft Company Fellow.<ref name=":2" /> She earned a PhD in computer science and engineering, before joining Hughes Aircraft Company as an engineer.<ref name=":2" />
== Career == Garr moved to Texas Instruments in 1981.<ref name=":1" />
Garr worked at TI for almost twenty years. She held several leadership positions at TI, including advanced development manager, manager of the Information Technology group and manager of digital imaging.<ref name=":1" /> She was the first African-American Level 3 Director of software engineering at TI. At TI Garr launched a minority leadership program that included guest speakers, a sponsorship scheme and professional development for people from minoritised backgrounds.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WIhigtgvGeAC&q=dixie+Garr+grambling&pg=PA25|title=Women of Color|date=2007|publisher=Career Communications Group|isbn=|location=|pages=|language=en}}</ref> In 1997 Garr was named the "Black Engineer of the Year in Industry" by the council of engineering deans at historically black colleges and universities.<ref name=":3" /> She attended the Stanford University Executive Program.<ref name=":3" /> Garr returned to TI to lead the engineering teams working on programmes in defence and communications.<ref name=":0" />
In 1998 Garr was recruited by Cisco Systems.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2004-02-20-0402200174-story.html|title=High voltage engineer|last=Swartz|first=Tracy|website=baltimoresun.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.hibu.com/celebrating-black-history-month/|title=Celebrating Black History Month|date=2016-02-19|website=Hibu Blog|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref> At Cisco Garr led teams that looked after customer satisfaction and corporate quality.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cqi2f1nWQ3cC&q=dixie+Garr+grambling&pg=PA59|title=US Black Engineer & IT|date=2002|publisher=Career Communications Group|isbn=|location=|pages=|language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Garr, Dixie Tyran}} Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:American computer scientists Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni