Name: Henry F. Phillips

Born: 1890 in Portland, Oregon, USA

Death: 1958 (Age: 68)

  • U.S. businessman and inventor responsible for popularizing the Phillips (“crosshead”) screw and screwdriver to the point it was adopted by screwmakers and the auto industry.
  • One of the first customers of the Phillips screwdriver was General Motors, who used it in its Cadillac assembly-lines in 1937. By 1940, 85% of U.S. screw manufacturers had a license for the design.

Honors and awards

  • The Phillips-head (“crosshead”) screw and screwdriver are named in his honor.