Born in Brooklyn on February 12, 1899, Eugene McDermott was one of the founders of Texas Instruments and its first Chairman. Along with Cecil H. Green, J. Erik Jonsson and H. Bates Peacock, he created the company to act as a holding company for Geophysical Service Inc. (GSI), the group's first acquisition, adding others along the way to create the huge corporation it is today.

A polymath, McDermott earned Master’s degrees at Stevens Institute of Technology in 1919, and Columbia University in 1925. He also received honorary Doctorates from Stevens Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the University of Dallas. He spent his entire working career at GSI and Texas Instruments, in the position of Chairman from 1951 to 1957, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors from 1958 to 1964, and Director from 1965 to 1973.

Eugene McDermott died in Dallas, Texas, on August 24, 1973.