2016 Distinguished Alumnus: Thomas (Tim) J. Litle IV (BS '62, Engineering and Applied Science)

The 2016 Distinguished Alumni Awards were presented on Saturday, May 21, during the 79th annual Seminar Day. Each week, the Caltech Alumni Association will share a story about a recipient.

Every time you use a credit card to make a purchase, there's a strong chance that you're interacting with one of Tim Litle's products or companies. Over his five-decade career, Litle has been responsible for a number of major innovations in marketing and financial services, new methods that include making credit-card transactions more secure. The next time you enter that three-digit code on the back of your card, or your zip code at a gas pump... thank Litle.

Litle grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. At a time when the automotive industry was at its peak in the city, he learned how to take apart car engines, which fostered an interest in mechanics. Litle recalls his father, who worked for Time Inc., one day dropping a copy of Time magazine in front of him. "My dad pointed to the cover, which showed [Caltech's then president] Lee DuBridge and said, 'This school is the perfect place for you,'" Litle says.

Read the full story on the Caltech Alumni Association website