Ken Olsen, Computer Pioneer passes away

Kenneth Harry Olsen, Engineer
((1926-02-2 February 20, 1926 to February 6, 2011 (age 84))

Many people might not recognize the name but Ken Olsen was the founder and former CEO of a company called Digital Equipment Corporation or DEC. This company created one of the first digital computers that was used for commercial use.

Ken served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. He received his Bachelors (B.S.) and Masters degrees(M.S.) in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He was known for have worked on a team that developed air defense technology and core memory while at MIT. He also directed the building of the first transistorized research computer.

In 1957 he founded Digital Equipment Corporation with an MIT colleague. In its glory days it had over 125,000 employees in over 86 countries. DEC was eventually urchased by Compaq in 1988 for $9.6 billion dollars.

During his life Ken was named the "most successful entrepreneur in the history of American business." by Fortune magazine. He also was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990 and received the National Medal of Technology in 1993. Plus he was brought into the Computer History Museum in 1996.