2003年的《富比世》雜誌在( 一手掌握全世界Taking The World by Hand  )一文中就談到：「美國納稅人花了一百五十億美元，發射二十七顆GPS衛星，這個公共建設最大的財務受益者就是兩位工程師：高民環與Gary」，高民環可說是運氣最旺的竹山人了。
24顆衛星全球定位：小小一個GPS，可接收來自24顆人造衛星傳送的訊息。
全球衛星定位系統（Global Positioning System）是由美國政府所發展出來的方位辨識系統，整個系統約分成下列3部分：
1.太空衛星：由24顆繞極衛星所組成，分成6個軌道，運行於約 20200公里的高空，繞行地球1周約12小時。每個衛星均持續著發射載有衛星軌道資料及時間的無線電波，提供地球上的各種接收機來應用。
2.地面管制：這是為了追蹤及控制上述衛星運轉，所設置的地面管制站，主要工作為負責修正與維護每個衛星能保持正常運轉的各項參數資料，以確保每個衛星都能提供正確的訊息給使用者接收機來接收。
3.使用者接收機：追蹤所有的GPS衛星，並即時地計算出接收機所在位置的座標、移動速度及時間，Garmin的GPS產品，即屬於此部分。
在台灣，Garmin的中文名稱為「台灣國際航電」。根據市場研調機構ABI Research的統計，去年全球的汽車衛星導航系統，有將近半數為Garmin。而美國航電協會的銷售調查也顯示，Garmin在航空手持式產品的市場占有率為76％，固定式的市場占有率為59％，美國的GPS市場幾乎都快被Garmin所壟斷。Garmin董事長高民環更因為Garmin企業的獲利，在短短十幾年間，竄升為蘇富比榜上有名的大富豪。
台大電機系畢業的高民環，在美國田納西大學完成了碩士、博士學位後，進入美國航空儀器製造商Allied Signal等高科技公司工作，後來高民環還研發出第一部獲美國航空管理局核准生產的GPS導航器，但在當時的時空環境下，GPS還只能應用在軍事上，難以商業化。
冷戰結束後，原本只限於軍事用途的衛星定位系統，有了開放給民間使用的契機，也帶來一波新商機。高民環在老長官、也是創業的伙伴 Gary Burrell 鼓勵下，帶著自己的發明一起出來創業。Garmin是在1989年創立，而Garmin的名字就是取兩人名字的前三個字母合併而成。
在高民環的提議下，將工廠設在台灣，除了當時政府為了鼓勵高科技業，提出五年免稅的優惠措施外，台灣電子產業上下游結構完整、生產富彈性的優勢，也讓研發出身的高民環等人，能無後顧之憂地持續研發。很快地，四位研發衛星定位系統、資歷加起來超過一百年的創業團隊，便在台灣成立了台灣國際航電；差不多在相同時間，位於美國堪薩斯州的子公司也跟著設立。
由於美國是全球最大的導航設備消費市場，加上航空導航儀器都必須經過美國當局的認證，所以有關航空產品的研究與生產，高民環都交由美國子公司來負責；台灣總公司除了擔任起其他航海、休閒式產品的生產大任之外，也從事部分的設計、研發工作。
當年波灣戰爭中，大家應該還記得台揚公司那台無線衛星通信的發話器，其實那一場戰役還有一項台灣之光︰聯軍採用的第一台手持GPS，也是台灣人製造的，就是台灣國際航電的傑作。
目前Garmin公司所製造的GPS導航產品非常廣泛，除了汽車上的衛星定位導航外，從水上遊樂的船艇到航空工業所需要的導航設備，Garmin都可提供。酷愛飛行的影星哈里遜．福特，私人座機上安裝的導航設備，就是Garmin的產品；在中國大陸，八成以上的遠洋漁船也都配備著Garmin航海用衛星定位系統。在全球休閒、航空GPS的產品，Garmin 的占有率都是排名第一。
高民環，美國Garmin公司( nasdaq.GRMN )當董事長與執行長，台灣國際航電股份有限公司（Garmin Corporation）董事長。
高民環於1949年出生在台灣南投縣竹山鎮，他臺大電機系畢業後到美國諾城田納西大學( University of Tennessee, Knoxville )，受業於洪箴教授門下。在田納西大學完成了碩士、博士學位後，高民環先後任職於 Allied Signal 等高科技公司。高民環晉身列入了福布斯美國400大富豪的排行榜。


相關閱讀
1.http://www.garmin.com
2.商業周刊953期
http://www.businessweekly.com.tw/article.php?id=22119
3.高民環鄉親回饋母校田納西大學
http://blog.roodo.com/ataa/archives/498092.html
4.http://www.nasdaq.com
UPDATE: Garmin Quits Tele Atlas Battle, But Might Win GPS War By Rex Crum

SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones) -- Normally, when a combatant walks away from a fight before it is over the action is often viewed as a sign of defeat. But in the case of GPS system developer Garmin Ltd., its decision to drop an attempt to buy digital mapping company Tele Atlas may prove to be a strategic victory in the growing market for personal navigation devices.
That is the view held by several analysts that follow Garmin (GRMN) , who say that by walking away from its $3.3 billion offer for Tele Atlas, the company has actually set itself up for a better position in the GPS mapping market, as well as with investors who would have likely seen the price of Garmin's stock dilute by more than 20% if the company had continued its fight over Tele Atlas with top rival TomTom of the Netherlands.
It also didn't hurt that as Garmin dropped its offer for Tele Atlas, the company signed an extension of its current deal with Navteq Corp. (NVT) , under which Navteq will supply Garmin with digital mapping technology through 2015. The deal has an option that can be extended until 2019.
Navteq is in the process of being acquired by Nokia Corp. (NOK) for $8.1 billion. In July, TomTom (TMOAF) said it would acquire Tele Atlas for $2.9 billion. Garmin then topped that bid with its $3.3 billion offer in October, which was followed last week by TomTom raises its offer to $4.2 billion.
Jonathan Goldberg, of Deutsche Bank, said that by re-upping its deal with Navteq, Garmin has eliminated concerns over its access to digital maps, as well as what he estimated would eventually be a 25% cut in the company's stock price by the time a Tele Atlas purchase was finalized.
Garmin has recently been criticized over its acquisition strategy, but Goldberg said that by pulling out of the Tele Atlas fight, the company showed that companies sometimes need to take a chance on appearing inconsistent in public in order to complete complex negotiating efforts.
"To effectively negotiate with Navteq, Garmin had to prove they were willing to go the distance along another path," Goldberg said in a research note. "They also left their biggest competitor saddled with a heavy debt and its own post- deal dilution."
The market for GPS systems and the services they provide is heating up as more automotive companies offer GPS technology built into, or as an option with their car models. Additionally, personal GPS devices are becoming more common as consumers use them for hiking and other outdoor activities.
And the jostling between Garmin and TomTom in the U.S. market illustrates that demand. According to retail research firm NPD Group, during the first six months of 2007, Garmin claimed five of the top ten models in terms of GPS models sold through retail outlets. Garmin also had six of the top ten devices in terms of revenue.
NPD said TomTom had two of the top ten models for both units and revenue during the first half of the year.Bear Stearns analyst Peter Barry said that by using the possibility of acquiring Tele Atlas as a negotiating trick with Navteq, the company was able to secure a long-term digital mapping technology source that should help Garmin keep its place among the top GPS device makers for several years, even as some market dynamics shift.
"It will allow Garmin to remain relevant even if personal navigation device growth slows and mobile phone location-based services ramp [up], Barry said.
Garmin's shareholders were behind the company going with Navteq instead of buying Tele Atlas. Garmin's stock rose $13.51, or 16%, to close at $97.51. (END) Dow Jones Newswires