Garmin 2002 Annual Report Download - page 14

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Investing in people
Garmin has always believed in hiring talented people to help us
produce the most innovative products in the most efficient way.
We were privileged to be able to continue that trend in 2002.
As many corporations were downsizing due to the weak economy
and other factors, we were in a unique position to expand our
business and hire top-notch talent. Total employment among the
U.S., U.K. and Taiwan offices rose to 1,575, and 67 of those
hires were in engineering.
Garmin believes in maintaining a safe, efficient workplace where
associates are treated with respect and recognized for their
contributions. Fresh ideas and innovative solutions are the norm
at Garmin, and that has much to do with our corporate environ-
ment, which cultivates a hands-on approach to engineering.
Some of our engineers are pilots, which helps them design full-
featured avionics systems with pilot-friendly operations. On the
marine side, associates include fishing pros and boating enthu-
siasts whose first-hand experience aids them in developing and
testing sonar and GPS chartplotter products. And having plenty
of outdoor enthusiasts on staff has helped Garmin design rugged
recreational products with unique features born of real-life
experience and testing.
Garmin has continued its practice of vertical integration by per-
forming all design, manufacturing and marketing functions in-
house. This enables us to control the entire development process
and maintain a high level of quality. Garmin’s effort to maintain
this strategy while investing in our people has resulted in a dedi-
cated, productive workforce. Garmin has also earned a reputation
as one of the leading employers in the Kansas City area, where
the majority of our research and development operations are
conducted. This makes it easier to attract top talent.
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