HAPPY 20th ANNIVERSARY

A newspaper for Memorex people everywhere Volume 18 #2 February 1981 "Pioneers" recall the early days The pioneers of today's Memorex Cor- poration were skilled, determined and resourceful people who joined forces to undertake an exciting and demanding task. Eric Daniel was Memorex's original director of research, and is now manager of Consumer Products Group Research and Development. He managed the Magnetic and Chemical Technology Center from its inception in 1978 until his promotion this year to his current position. Daniel is one of two employees who have the title of Memorex Fellow, the highest distinction the company can bestow upon technical personnel. "The early years of the company were very exciting," according to Daniel. "Everyone was involved with everything then—the group was so small." Memorex was "like a small family at the start," Carl A. Anderson said. Anderson, a certified public account- ant who was Memorex's first controller, retired from the company in 1974, but continues to serve Memorex as a part- time consultant. In its earliest days, Memorex occupied temporary office space in a building on Scott Boulevard in Santa Clara, and over Fifteen Memorex pioneers assembled in front of this early company facility for a group photograph in 1961. The prototype a furniture store in Mountain View. While for Memorex's first precision tape coating line was built in this building in Mountain View while the company's first awaiting development of its first plant at plant was being built in Santa Clara. 1180 Shulman Ave. (later renamed Memorex Drive) in Santa Clara, Memorex occupied temporary quarters at 2000 El Memorex marks 20 years of excellence Camino Real, Mountain View. Memorex employees around the world expertise in a new product field, the it is interesting to note that the company It was in the building at 2000 El Camino will celebrate the company's 20th design and manufacture of disc packs. did not even enter that field until 1970, that the company built its prototype corporate birthday Feb. 9. Memorex's first disc packs were nearly a full decade after the founding of magnetic tape coating line. The juxta- position of that early coating line and the The two-decade milestone in the introduced in 1967, the first year in which the corporation. That year, Memorex office space in those close quarters had company's history will be celebrated with discs outdistanced computer tape in introduced MRX, its first high-fidelity some memorable results, Anderson special observances and programs dollar sales volume. audio tape for cassette and open-reel recalled. throughout 1981, according to C.W. Memorex's enterprise in disc pack recorders. "We all had red dust on our shoes from Spangle, chairman and chief executive technology was one of several factors In November, 1970, Memorex began officer. which spurred the company's first entry using the "shattering glass" advertising the magnetic coating material," he said, Memorex, now a worldwide, high- into the equipment manufacturing field. campaign which remains basically un- "but nobody minded." technology information storage and Another factor was the company's need changed to this day. Ella Fitzgerald, the Continued on page 4 communications company, was founded for a disc drive to serve as a super- "first lady of jazz," first appeared as a in a leased garage in Mountain View, accurate testing device to detect the spokesperson for Memorex in 1973. California, in 1961. The founders- slightest flaws in our media. The innova- Those advertisements helped make Laurence L. Spitters, Arnold T. Challman, tive drive designed to fit the bill was Memorex a "household word." Memorex reduces Donald F. Eldridge and W. Lawrence marketed shortly thereafter to OEM Memorex decided to enter the Noon —had resigned during the previous customers as the Model 610. In 1969 the international marketplace in 1964, quite quarterly loss December from Ampex Corporation in Model 630 was marketed to IBM 360 early in the company's history. When one Redwood City, California. users. considers the scope and significance of For the first time in its twenty-year history, The four founders were dedicated to It was not long before the company was Memorex's international operations Memorex Corporation recorded revenues the pursuit of excellence—a concept as heavily involved in peripherals as in today, the importance of that decision is in excess of $200 million for one quarter, which continues as the core of the media. Memorex could exercise far more readily evident. The initial thrust abroad reporting revenues of $208.2 million in company's philosophy today. When they control over its destiny in the marketplace was a modest one. At first, the company the fourth quarter of 1980. established the company to produce because it manufactured its own media, exported products directly from Califor- This record revenue notwithstanding, precision magnetic tape, they named it heads, test equipment, mechanical nia. The first Memorex employee to work the company reported a net loss of $2.8 "Memorex," a contraction of the words assemblies and plastic components. It overseas operated out of his home in million (48 cents per share) for the "memory" and "excellence." could also react quickly to potential England. He secured the first European quarter. Memorex started with only 24 shortages and production bottlenecks, customers for Memorex magnetic tape— C.W. Spangle, chairman and chief employees in addition to the four allowing the company to anticipate and the British Broadcasting System and ICL, executive officer, said, "While the founders. Less than two years after manage change. a major computer manufacturer in company reported a loss, the fourth incorporation, the company built its first The manufacturing of disc drives Europe—in 1965. quarter results do reflect the second plant at 1180 Shulman Ave. in Santa provided the foundation upon which Memorex, unlike many American consecutive quarter of improved Clara, California. That street, then Memorex built several other, major companies which do business outside of performance. surrounded by the hayfields of an area equipment businesses. the United States, relies heavily on host- "We have made substantial progress in destined to become known as "Silicon In 1969, Memorex entered the country nationals to lead and carry out its asset management," he continued. "Most Valley," was later renamed Memorex computer subsystems market with the international operations. In fact, fewer encouraging was the approximately $20 Drive. That same year, Memorex 1600 Computer-Output-Microfilm printer than 50 of the 2500 people employed by million reduction in gross inventories and introduced its first precision magnetic system, and began manufacturing data Memorex outside the United States are approximately $6 million increase in tape for computer use. communications equipment on a large U.S. citizens. cash, net of new borrowings," during the Having mastered the exacting pro- scale, starting with the Model 1270 Today, the company has production quarter. cesses involved in producing precision communications terminal control unit. facilities abroad in Liege, Belgium; in This was Memorex's first positive magnetic computer, instrumentation and While Memorex is best known to the Clondalkin, Republic of Ireland; Nogales, quarterly cash flow from operations since video tapes, Memorex began to apply its general public for its consumer products, Continued on page 4 late 1977. Computer Media Group forms new organization Memorex's Computer Media Group has CMG sales Rookie of the Year in 1979. formed a Field Training and Marketing Peterson joined Memorex as a sales Programs Department under the direction representative but was most recently of Jim Coccara. Coccara will report to manager of Sales Development and Harry Fekkes, vice president of CMG Training. Marketing. Stroebel also comes from the CMG Coccara started with Memorex as a sales force, beginning as a sales sales representative in the Los Angeles representative and recently promoted to region, and was most recently region senior account representative. He was manager for CMG End-user/Distributor recently named 1980 CMG Salesperson organization. In 1979, he was named of the Year. CMG national sales Manager of the Year. Joining Coccara in the new department will be Jim McLeaster, Fred Peterson and Charter members of the Memorex Speechmasters hold their second meeting at the Bob Stroebel, who will serve as Field Education Center in Building W. Toastmaster of the day Dan Scott, supervising Training and Marketing Programs senior auditor, Corporate Audit, acknowledges a comment from the table during managers for the central, western and Table Topics. The group is generating a lot of interest among employees. eastern areas respectively. McLeaster joined Memorex as a senior Speechmasters sharpen account representative and was named communication skills Mercantile slashes Toastmasters International is enjoying a members are called upon, they need not prices during sale surge of interest in the Santa Clara Valley know the facts on a particular issue. They The Memorex Activities Group (MAG) recently, and Memorex employees can invent statistics. "It's not what you're Mercantile is reducing its employee interested in building better communi- saying, but how well it's organized and discount prices even lower in a special cation skills are forming a charter group, brought across," says Mateas. sale through February 24. the "Memorex Speechmasters." The Memorex Speechmasters will be As an example, 45-minute MRX3 Toastmasters International is a meeting every Monday at noon at the cassettes which sell in stores for $2.99 nonprofit, educational organization, with Educational Center in Building W are usually $2.10 through the MAG 4,000 clubs around the world. It provides Memorex Drive, with the exception of mercantile, but for this special sale they Mody discovers members with a professionally designed March 2 and 9, when they will meet in the are just $1.55 each. And, 90-minute high program to improve self-expression and Conference Room of Building 12. bias tapes sell for $5.99 in stores, are niche in Legal develop leadership qualities. For more information, call Steve usually $4.30 through MAG mercantile, A new face in the corporate legal depart- "In today's business and in the Solomon, ext. 2672. but are just $3.29 during the sale. And, ment, but definitely not in building 12, is community, the effectiveness of our 45-minute 8-track cassettes retailing for Kunwar Mody. communication depends upon how well $2.99 usually sell for $2.20 through the A Memorex employee since September we listen, think and speak," says Ethel mercantile and are $1.77 through 1979, Mody took the roundabout way to Curtis, Lt. Governor of District 4 Sales program February. his new position as a legal secretary, Toastmasters. "The level of In addition, Memorex rainbow T-shirts, starting work in the Memorex mail room. communication and leadership usually $4.20 or $5.15, are selling for just Mody is abundantly qualified in the legal development among managers and provides leads $2.50 during this sale. area, holding a master's and a law degree employees affects an organization's The MAG mercantile, located in from Agra University in his native India. success in a very significant way." As of January 15,1181 sales referrals building 10 at the San Tomas at Central In addition to a private law practice, Curtis has been providing quidance to the had been turned in for the Memorex Expressway site in Santa Clara, is open Mody has held posts as college professor new Memorex group while it is getting Prospects for Profit program, leading to Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. through 4 p.m. of history in Delhi, and with the Indian started. actual sales totaling nearly $400,000. Out-of-county employees can order government. He also ran his own whole- Guests are not only welcome, they are Referrals will come in through February Memorex products through the mercan- sale and export business, dabbling in the encouraged. Meetings serve as 9, and then a one month extension will be tile and they will be mailed to them. MAG Bombay stock exchange. His varied demonstrations. allowed for sales-in-progress to be offices should have MAG mercantile career in India was capped by a 23-year Twenty members are required to have concluded. order forms. For further information, call stint as a civil and mechanical contractor a charter and begin operations. The ideal At the end of that time, 16 winners will Kathleen Laney, 408/987-2357. for Hindustan Steel, the largest steel plant size for a club would be about 30 be announced. Each will win one-week in Asia. members. This would require each for two in America's most enchanting He emigrated to the States in 1977 with member to give a prepared speech only state, Hawaii. Winners will spend three his wife of 40 years, Vimla, because all once each 10-12 weeks, according to nights on Oahu at the Hyatt Regency German employees three of their children were already living Leigh Mateas, manager, Corporate Waikiki, and then spend the next three here, and the couple missed them. Com- Security. A former Toastmasters member, nights on either the island of Hawaii or on aid quake victims ing directly to California, Mody held a num- Mateas is pleased to see the Memorex Kauai. Memorex's international family ber of jobs, such as managing and selling Speechmasters get off the ground. The Prospects for Profit program demonstrated it's concern for all once at a drive-in dairy store and working at a "Table Topics"is the impromptu part of includes Memorex employees from the again in December when employees of drug store post office and a hardware each meeting, and when random Storage Systems Group, Communica- Memorex Germany raised funds at their store. Retirement Jobs, Inc. led him to tions, Computer Media, Peripheral Equip- Christmas party to send to quake victims Memorex, where Dan Deckman put him to ment Group OEM Sales, Business in Italy. work in the mail room sorting, distributing, Memorex completes Systems Division, Customer Engineering Through a raffle held at their Decem- registering, and sending parcels abroad. and Systems Engineering. ber 12 party, employees of Memorex "I have always liked my work, no San Tomas purchase Germany raised $1350 for the matter in what capacity," claims Mody." I Memorex Corporation has completed the unfortunate quake victims. Memorex couldn't sit idle, waiting for the right job. I repurchase of its San Tomas site and Germany added to this to bring the total have no inhibitions in that regard." sold the 24V2-acre site across San Tomas Promotions top contribution to $1750. Born in 1916, Mody attributes his Expressway to McCandless Companies The event was attended by some 90 excellent health to the practice of yoga, of Sunnyvale. Memorex employees who contributed an and beats his sons at wrestling regularly. McCandless plans to develop a Eau Claire news average of $15 per person to the quake Whether the contentment and peace of $42 million office/R&D park on the site Memorex's Eau Claire, Wisconsin plant victims' fund. mind he expresses are attributable to fronting San Tomas, between Walsh announced key management changes in Working through Memorex Italy, the Memorex or his daily yogic practices is a Avenue and Central Expressway. If its January. German employees were assured that the matter of debate. "A little of both, I'm plans are approved by the city of Santa Paul Ryan has been named manager, funds would reach the right people and sure," he says. "I have had excellent co- Clara, McCandless will begin construc- Industrial Engineering and Facilities, a be put to the best use possible. operation here. It's a fine place to work." tion in May. new position. Formerly Production Plans call for the construction of five manager, Ryan came to Memorex in two-story buildings in a campus-like October 1977 as a senior industrial setting which will complement the engineer. Memorex "campus" on San Tomas. Charles Pinkerton has been named the "Spirit of '81" tops goal Gary Alfson, real estate manager for new Production manager, stepping up Memorex, said the Company selected from his post as Production Control To say that the first phase of the "Spirit Monthly winners for December were McCandless from among more than 40 manager. He joined Memorex in of '81" was a success would be an Carol Goudey (the second time for her) of prospective purchasers. September, 1979. understatement. Finance and Mike Paradis of Industrial Now the sixth largest employer in Santa Jim Berry replaces Pinkerton as Results from the Corporate cost- Relations. They pooled their talents to Clara County, Memorex moved onto the Production Control manager. The former reduction program Phase I showed come up with a plan to restructure the San Tomas site in 1971, ten years after sales manager started with Memorex in that ideas totaling a cost savings of actuarial assumptions for the pension the Company began in a leased garage in August 1970 as Production Control $3,310,000 were implemented through fund which will save the company $1.2 Mountain View. In 1972, Memorex sold manager, and held that position for eight the program in its first four months. The million annually. this 50-acre site, including four buildings years before moving into sales. goal for this period was $1,290,000. Top function for Phase I was Finance, totaling 702,000 square feet, to EIC, a Donald Sidner joined Memorex in Eau Larry Nelson of the corporate Industrial which achieved 521 percent of its goal. limited partnership. Memorex repur- Claire on January 5, filling the sales Relations department won the $1000 Phase II, which began January 1, has chased the land in 1976. manager slot. Sidner most recently grand prize for Phase I. His name was an overall goai of $2 million in cost sav- With the current transaction, Memorex served as the senior sales representative drawn from all those individuals who had ings. The second phase will continue now holds fee ownership of its San for a four-state area for E.I. DuPont de cost-reduction ideas implemented during through June 26,1981. Tomas site, land and buildings. Nemour& Co. Phase I. Memorex, CDC sign thin-film agreement Memorex has entered into a technical Memorex's thin-film development Silverberg named Tax manager information exchange agreement with program is centered in the Company's Jack Silverberg has joined Memorex as Corporate Tax manager, reporting to Control Data Corporation (CDC) of Recording Technology Center (RTC) James Unruh, vice president, Finance. Minneapolis, Minnesota, covering the under the direction of RTC manager Silverberg comes to Memorex from Levi Strauss & Co. where he held the research and development of thin-film Frank Sordello. position of assistant director of Corporate Taxes. Prior to joining Levi Strauss, recording heads and thin-film head-arm Recording heads are the devices Silverberg held various tax positions with firms in private industry and in assemblies. which write data onto, or read data from, public accounting. He brings eighteen years of experience in the tax area to According to Clancy Spangle, the discs inside disc drives. Memorex. chairman and chief executive officer of Most disc drives being shipped today Silverberg holds a Jurisprudence degree from Brooklyn Law School. Memorex, "the agreement should benefit use ferrite recording heads for writing and users of large computer systems by fur- reading data. Thin-film heads, however, Schuler heads Marketing Services ther enhancing the capability of Memorex are expected to displace the ferrite heads Laurie Schuler has been appointed manager, Marketing Services for the and CDC to more quickly bring to market on newer generation disc drives because Communications Group, and assumes responsibility for all group advertising, advanced, cost-effective data storage they offer improved performance and public relations, sales promotion, sales training support, and product products using thin-film technology." reliability characteristics. literature. She reports directly to Paul Klein, vice president of Marketing. In addition to an exchange of technical Unlike ferrite heads, which require a Schuler joined Memorex in 1979 as a promotional writer. Prior to this, she information, the agreement calls for CDC number of individual manufacturing steps, worked as a free-lance writer and a writer for local radio stations and the San to make a one-time payment of $750,000 thin-film heads are batch-produced by Jose Mercury News. to Memorex, and for both companies to semiconductor processes and require continue to maintain their own thin-film fewer individual manufacturing steps. Iguchi joins Communications Group research and development programs. The scientific and engineering skills In September of 1980, Memorex required to produce a complete thin-film Bob Iguchi has been named manager, Inventory Control for the Communica- announced that it was developing a tions Group. He assumes responsibility for material planning, warehousing, head-arm assembly (HDA) are signifi- receiving, inventory analysis and management, reporting to Tom Dillon, high-performance, high-capacity, thin- cantly greater, however, due to higher Materials manager for the Communications Group. film-technology disc storage subsystem technologies involved. to compete with IBM's 3380 direct access Thin-film heads, for instance, can write Prior to joining Memorex, Iguchi was the Spares Planning manager for Four storage device and 3880 models 2 and 3 Phase of Cupertino. data onto, and read data from, recording storage control. discs which have more than 25,000 bits To match the performance of its (of information) per inch and 1000 tracks Storage Systems names ISD manager planned thin-film-technology disc drives, per inch. For size reference, more than John J. Huelbig, Jr., has been named manager ISD for the Storage Systems Memorex announced at the same time 75 bits could be recorded in an area the Group, reporting to Ralph A. Walch, Finance manager, SSG. Huelbig is that it was also developing an all-new, size of a cross-section diameter of responsible for all operational and planning activities as they relate to advanced storage control unit. human hair. systems development, data center, systems and procedures and data base management functions. Huelbig's most recent position was as manager of the Corporate Data Center. Two media groups Prior to joining Memorex, he held various MIS positions at Reynolds Metals, his last being director of MIS. reorganize R&D Memorex restructured its research and Chang joins SSG Finance department development operations associated with Jim B. Chang has been appointed manager, Sales Accounting, reporting to its Consumer and Computer Media Wayne M. Bridges, manager, Financial Accounting, SSG. He will assume groups in January in order to place responsibility for field asset tracking and billing, sales and cost accounting, greater emphasis on future technological and commission accounting. needs. Chang was with Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical for the past seven years in Separate research centers have been various financial management positions which included plant controllership, formed by Memorex's Computer Media internal audit, international accounting, and inventory accounting. Group and Consumer Products Group. Previously research needs for both Bertler assumes new responsibilities groups were served by the Magnetic and Memorex International has announced the appointment of Rolf Bertler as Chemical Technology Center (MCTC). manager, Liaison Customer Service and Administration. Reed heads new Eric Daniel, who has headed MCTC Bertler will see that Memorex International entities receive required customer since its formation in 1978, has been service support from Memorex U.S. manufacturing/operating groups. Bertler support group promoted to the position of manager of will also manage the Administrative Support activities for the International Consumer Products Group Research and Howard B. Reed has been named Liaison operation in Santa Clara. Development. He will continue reporting Memorex operations support manager, to Howard Earhart, president of Bertler joined Memorex Germany in May, 1977 as a Customer Engineering reporting to Charles Strauch, president Consumer Products Group. manager. He moved to Santa Clara in January 1979 to assume the position of and chief operating officer. Daniel will additionally serve as U.S. Relations manager for EUMEA. Prior to joining Memorex, he held various Reed comes to Memorex from Phoenix, chairman of the new Memorex Media customer engineering specialist and management positions with IBM, Arizona, where he was most Technical Council comprised of technical Honeywell-Bull and Rank Xerox in Germany. recently a self-employed consultant and scientific personnel throughout the working primarily for ITT Courier company. Computer Tape promotes Campbell Terminal Systems Inc. The Computer Media Group Tech- According to Strauch, "The operations Alan Campbell has been appointed manager, Manufacturing Reporting and nology Center will consist initially of support department will devote its entire Analysis, a newly created position, reporting to Computer Tape Division Donald Stellman, manager of Analytical effort to supporting our operating groups finance manager, Jay Swent. Campbell joined Memorex in 1978 as manager, Services; Sikande Iqbal, project manager, —with its principal focus being the plan- Budgets and Measurements for the Computer Tape Division. water-borne systems; and Dennis Karle, ning and organization of corporate-wide Prior to joining Memorex, Campbell held engineering and program manager project manager, electron beam cured manufacturing productivity and quality positions with Berkeley Scientific Laboratories and worked for IBM as a systems. All will report to Jack King, programs." senior financial analyst. president of the Computer Media Group. In addition, Reed has responsibility for: According to Daniel, "Many of the worldwide distribution of Memorex's projects undertaken by MCTC are now finished products; construction, furnish- ready to be turned over to business teams ing and maintenance of facilities shared First circuit class graduates to be implemented into advanced new by several company functions; purchase, products. The new organization will The Recording Technology Center Course Instructor Ian Graham, RTC sale>or lease of all domestic company accelerate the implementations of these recently sponsored a 17-week course in senior staff scientist, has prepared all property, and corporate purchasing products." magnetic recording circuits. Well- course materials himself as there are no coordination. "More importantly," he continued, "the received and well-attended, the course is existing texts that would be adequate. Prior to operating his consulting new organization will ensure that new to be repeated beginning February 17. Applications can be made through your service, Reed spent nine years with projects are undertaken which Industrial Relations representative and Digital Equipment Corporation in a Graduates of the first class in mag- specifically reflect the future needs of the forwarded to the RTC before the class number of manufacturing management netic recording circuits are: Don Adams, Computer Media and Consumer Products start date. The class meets twice weekly, positions. He has also held management Richard Anderson, Bill Baker, Ed Barba, Groups." Rich Brown, Y.M. Chu, Warren Chun, Bill on Tuesday and Friday, from 8:30 to positions with General Electric, McGraw- Corbett, Massoud Dabir, Malini Gowrish, 9:30 a.m. in Conference Room 1 of Edison and Sundstrand Corporation. Mark Koziol, Mark Kapzynski, Dan Building 12. Kujaneck, Robert Kost, Carl Labmeier, INTERCOM Dick Larkham, Don Lee, Geza Medveczky, Frank Mo, Reggie Murray, Credit Union sets annual meeting Editor, David Delia-Maggiore John Newman, N.N. Patel, Due Phan, Dan Each year the members of the Memorex This year's Annual Meeting will be Associate Editors, Cindy Townsend, Pike, Arno Rohloff, Al Tabeek, Paul Ting, Employees' Federal Credit Union elect held March 31,1981 at the San Tomas Irene Shearer and Ken Rowe Roger Travagli, Ron Wagner, Kern Wong, individuals to fill vacancies in two func- Cafeteria at 5:15 p.m. Production Artist, April Rasmussen and Siltex Yuen. tions: the Board of Directors and the During the meeting, the Directors will Intercom is published monthly by Course material will cover: history, Credit Committee. The election of these report on the operation of the Credit Corporate Public Relations head structure, disc structure, head officials is conducted by mail ballot rather Union and some of the accomplishments Mail Stop 12-38, San Tomas at circuit, head performance, write circuits, than during the Annual Meeting to allow of the past year. Shareholders will be Central Expressway, read circuits, multi-head circuits, safety for greater participation in our election given the opportunity to ask questions Santa Clara, Calif. 95052, considerations, detectors, linear process. Credit Union members will be and to propose new services. Telephone: (408)987-3593 amplifiers and filters, phase locked receiving their ballots shortly. The results of the upcoming election Telex: 334-492 loops and codes. will be announced during the meeting. JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES FIFTEEN-YEAR Miriam Bakker, Consumer Products Martin Jenkins, Computer Media, Computer Tape Division Morris Matthews, Consumer Products Fred Siau, Computer Media, Computer Tape Division TEN-YEAR CONSUMER PRODUCTS STORAGE SYSTEMS Marvin Gleiser Charles Anderson Christine Martino William Brewer Tom Mitchko Andrew De Rose Phil Ostrum Rogelio Holder George Travers Thomas Kottman James McGovern COMPUTER MEDIA Peter Rippert Paul Sheffield WORD PROCESSING Wendal Williams Louis Yangone Ed Auty Jerry Patchman Richard Wolk MEMOREX INTERNATIONAL ITALY PRECISION PLASTICS Giuseppe Albani Robert Burns Giovanni Cattaneo Ruth Gomez Emilio Morones BELGIUM PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT H. Scalais James Little GERMANY Vernon Pedro Ella Fitzgerald, the "first lady of jazz," teams up with C. W. Spangle, Memorex Uwe Mayer chairman and chief executive officer, to serve a cake in honor of the EAU CLAIRE company's 20th anniversary. A "shattering glass "symbol topped the cake Dave Fisher enjoyed by those attending a reception which preceded Miss Fitzgerald's Jan. 11 concert at the University of Santa Clara. Memorex celebrates anniversary Early employees reminisce Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 the start—a rare opportunity for a C.P.A. Mexico; and in Mihara, Japan, where Memorex's common stock was first Everyone was eager to roll up his I was the controller, but I also was Memorex is involved in a joint venture listed on the New York Stock Exchange sleeves and pitch in, doing whatever responsible for personnel, taxes, insur- with Teijin, a leading industrial firm. in 1968. The company was numbered task was necessary. It was not unusual, ance, security—I certainly kept busy." among the Fortune 500 companies for On Jan. 23, Memorex was presented Anderson said, to see one of the com- Versatility was a prime characteristic of the first time in 1977. the coveted "E Star" flag awarded pany's four founders working on the the start-up team. through the offices of the President of the Memorex moved its headquarters to a original coating line, "the framework of Among the founders, Spitters was the United States for "outstanding contribu- site at San Tomas and Central Express- which looked like a giant Erector Set." one primarily responsible for financial tions to the increase of U.S. trade way, Santa Clara, in 1971. There, the Nor was it unusual to see one of them matters, Daniel noted, but he also "was abroad." The company received the company became the first high- pushing a broom, he said. the carpenter—he put up the interior award, which is won by relatively few technology firm in the valley to place itself "I painted the sign over the front door of walls in that Mountain View building." companies, because it increased its in a campus-like setting, a practice soon that building," Daniel said, "and I wrote Some of the key technical personnel at exports nearly 50 percent per year during emulated by many others. That same the copy for our first magazine advertise- the outset were Gordon MacBeth, the 1976-1978. year, Memorex's San Tomas complex ment. It was an ad for our instrumentation chemical engineer primarily responsible received a McGraw-Hill Top Ten Plant Memorex's international operations tape—which was very much better than for developing the coating formulation; award as one of the ten best-designed account for approximately half of the total anyone else's—and it was published in Elisabeth Herzfeld, a chemist who is industrial facilities in the United States. revenues of the corporation. various trade magazines. It was not a continuing her work today as Memorex's Laurence Spitters, one of the four Memorex now employs approximately 'glamorous' ad." most-senior employee; and Bob 11,000 people worldwide. The company founders, served as president of Being part of the start-up team, Daniel Brumbaugh, the mechanical engineer ranks as the sixth-largest employer in Memorex until May, 1974. He was said, "meant that, besides doing my primarily responsible for the design of Silicon Valley. followed by Robert C. Wilson, former specific job, I was involved in every the prototype coating line, Daniel said. president of Collins Radio (a Rockwell Within California, Memorex manufac- product that we made. It gave me the The location of the Mountain View International subsidiary). Wilson served turing plants are located in San Jose; opportunity to be aware of, and involved building was far from ideal, Anderson as chairman, president and chief Cupertino, Santa Ana, Fullerton, and in, all sorts of nontechnical aspects of the recalled. "The chemicals and mixer were executive officer of Memorex until last Irvine, in addition to those in Santa Clara. company." kept outside, at the rear of the building. year, and he continues as a Director. Elsewhere in the United States, Memorex Anderson, like all the Memorex Larry Noon was concerned about pre- has manufacturing facilities in Eau Claire, C.W. Spangle, the current chairman pioneers, saw the tremendous oppor- venting any disturbance to the neighbors Wisconsin; Summerville, South Carolina; and chief executive officer, formerly was tunity offered those involved in starting a across the back alley. It was all residen- and Chicago, Illinois. The company's president of Honeywell Information company in a field which appeared cer- tial out back there," he said. manufacturing operations include joint Systems. Charles S. Strauch, now tain to grow by leaps and bounds in the Daniel does not harbor fond, nostalgic ventures with Kores of Britain, and with president and chief operating officer, decades to come. memories of the interim facility at 2000 El came to Memorex as executive vice Bell & Howell Co. "It was a chance to be involved with a Camino. "That building was cheaply con- president from Gould, Inc. in 1979. Memorex also is involved in joint company just starting out, and it didn't structed in the first place, and ill looked Beginning in the mid-1960s and ventures with companies like Olivetti take an MBA to figure out what was after. Various tenants, including us, beat it continuing throughout the 1970s, and Fujitsu. happening in the computer industry and up quite a lot. It no longer exists. I under- Memorex underwent a period of rapid Memorex sales, service and adminis- how that would affect companies like stand that, sometime after we left, it was growth as the result of new product trative facilities are located in 33 states ours. For me, it also represented a used to sell used tires—an appropriate developments and acquisitions. The and the District of Columbia, and in more chance to set up the records right from function for that bloody building." firms acquired included CFI Memories, than 60 major cities in 22 countries Business Systems Technology, ILC abroad. The company's sales and service Peripherals Leasing Corp., and Telex activities outside the United States are Europe. managed by Memorex International, Memorex's concentration on precision headquartered in London. products gave the company a distinct advantage over established competitors which had developed their technologies Computer Tape during the 1950s in the manufacture of nonprecision audio tapes. Despite the risk inherent in that high-technology earns award strategy, Memorex's performance Memorex's Computer Tape Division brought immediate technological recently was honored by the Electronics distinction to the company. Industries Foundation for outstanding Memorex's involvement in the U.S. effort in the local area in supporting the space program dates back to 1965, when employment of the handicapped and the company's instrumentation tape was providing them proper accommodations. employed in the Gemini V mission. Our Pamela Pride accepted the award for company's products were utilized by the Division. NASA in the Apollo flights and other key Pride was recently elected vice missions, and they continue to play an chairperson for the Santa Clara County important role in the U.S. space Chapter of the Governor's Committee for exploration today. Employment of the Handicapped. This That continued contribution is evident, committee is dedicated to promoting for example, in the use of Memorex disc employment of the handicapped in the drives and disc packs at the Jet Propul- private industry sector.. sion Laboratory in Pasadena to store the In addition, Pride and Sue Lipnick will data base of images from the Voyager I both participate in an upcoming Job Fair missions. for the Handicapped.