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T.ttS.C|OMPUXE«H.STORV MUSEUM 1 027 4519 2 INTERCOM NEWSLETTER FOR MEMDREX EMPLOYEES VOLUME 4, NO. 12 DECEMBER, 1967 and a Plesbeleus Tleiv Mea\

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Page 1: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

T.ttS.C|OMPUXE«H.STORV MUSEUM

1 027 4519 2

INTERCOMNEWSLETTER FOR MEMDREX EMPLOYEES

VOLUME 4, NO. 12 DECEMBER, 1967

and a Plesbeleus Tleiv Mea\

Page 2: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

PROFIT SHARING POINTERSBy JOHN MORSE

Profit Sharers Ask:1. Why can't we have our vestedinterest eaeli year?

The Mcmorex Profit Sharing Planwas set up to enable all employees toshare in the Company's success andprofits and to provide a savings andinvestment program which will leadto substantial retirement funds for employees who are completing their working career. To pay out the vested interest each year would defeat one ofthe purposes of the Profit SharingPlan—to provide a retirement income.Also, two other considerations areworthy of note. First, if the vested interest was paid to employees each year,full income taxes would be chargedagainst these payments. Second, fundsleft in the Profit Sharing Trust areinvested in securities and bonds orother assets and continue to grow invalue due to the income and capitalgains from these investments. If thefunds were paid out, profit sharerswould lose this income.

2. Why aren't our quarterly salesfigures announced as they becomeavailable?

They are. At the end of each quarterInterim Reports announcing sales andearnings are published and mailed toall shareholders. Also, articles announcing our quarterly operating results arcusually published in the Intercom. Ifyou will look at the bulletin boardin the employee center, you will alsonotice a Mcmorex Profit Sharing chartwhich shows sales, profits sharing foreach quarter.3. Can you tell us more about theguidelines that our Executive Committee uses to invest our moneyand what percentage do they invest?

The Executive Committee adoptedthe following statement of investmentobjectives for our Profit Sharing Planlast year:

The primary investment objective forthe Profit Sharing Trust is long-termgrowth of the Fund through investment in common stocks. The objective of safety of principal will alsobe an important factor in investmentdecisions. The exact proportion ofthe portfolio in common stocks andfixed income securities will be basedupon the recommendations of invest

ment counsel. The factors of liquidityand income will be considerationonly in planning for normal operating expenses and termination distributions.

The Committee also adopted a policyrecommended by the Bank of Americaas Trustee that approximately 80% ofthe Profit Sharing funds be invested incommon stocks and that the remaining20% be invested in bonds or otherfixed income securities.

Also, under the terms of the ProfitSharing Tru.st agreement no more than20% of the total value of the ProfitSharing Fund can be invested in thesecurities of Mcmorex Corporation.

4. What types of investments arewe making with profit sharingmoney?

Approximately 14% of our ProfitSharing funds are invested in Memorex Subordinated Convertible Debentures which have had a substantial increase since their purchase by the ProfitSharing Trust. Approximately 11% ofthe Profit Sharing funds are investedin fixed income securities through theBank of America Pension/Profit Sharing Fund (fixed income). Approximately 73%, of the Profit Sharing funds arcinvested in common stocks through theBank of America Pension/Profit Sharing Fund (equity). The balance, approximately 2% of the Profit Sharingfunds, are deposited in a Bank of America savings account.

INTERCOMNEWSLETTER FOR MEMOREX EMPLOYEES

EDITOR: Gary WilliamsSTAFF: Sara Millar, Roger Cook

Sue Dunn, Judy Bonino

CORRESPONDENTS:

Francce Donaldson (Comdata),Virginia Koebcrlc (PSC)

Ron Gilictt (DP, Substrate)An official publication for employees ofMemorex Corporation. Published monthlyby the Industrial Relations Division, 1180Shulman Ave., Santa Clara, Calif. 95050.

Member of:

BASIC

Bay Area Societyof Industrial

Communicators

iLi!International

Councilof Industrial

Editors

LITKO IN U S

ON THE MOVEBy Judy Bonino

With Ed Conti's transfer to DiscPack, the Video Department has anew Manager. Bob Morse was promoted to the position. Before the moveBob was Supervisor in Industrial Engineering.

Jim Sinclair recently received a promotion to a Technician's position withQuality Control. Before that he was aVideo Test Operator.

Quality Control also gained anotherTechnician in the person of Willy Opp.He was promoted from the Slitting Department.

The Maintenance Department lostone of it's Technicians, Jimmy Bra-shers. Me is now a Foreman for Video.

Ralph Watkins, who was previouslya Production Scheduling Clerk, inScheduling, is now a Mechanical Inspector for Quality Control.

Tony Allen, previously a Technicianin Research, has taken over a Technicians job in Quality Control.

Industrial Engineering lost anotheremployee. This time it was Earl Bartcl.Earl is now an Associate Engineer onthe Disc Pack Launch Project.

The Warehouse Department has anew Foreman, John Bachick. John waspromoted from Sr. Materiel Clerk.

Verna Wcins received a promotionto Production Clerk, in Scheduling. Before that she was located in Productionas a Computer Scheduling Handler.

Bob Mitchell has taken another stepup in his progress with Mcmorex. Hewas a Foreman in Quality Control andnow is the Supervisor of Receiving Inspection in the same department.

Gary Suechting, another QualityControl Foreman, was also promoted.He is now Supervisor, Q.C. Test Lab.

The Maintenance Department haspromoted Orvill Clark, formerly aTechnician, to Foreman.

Hank Fujihara took over a Foreman's position in Quality Control.Prior to the change he was a Technician for Q.C.

Anne Moatc is Eric Daniel's newSecretary. Before being transferred toher new position, Anne was an ExportAssistant with International Marketing.

Orville Smoot was the recipient ofanother Quailly Control promotion.He went from Mechanical Inspector toTechnician.

The Personnel Department lias anew Personnel Specialist, as MariannePietschman was promoted from herPersonnel Clerk position.

Page 3: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

Bright Future Ahead For ComdataA Southern California aerospace firm

sold a newly formed company calledComdata, to Mcmorex in October of1965—and the small company beganto grow at a rapid pace that has yetto slow.

Eighteen people worked for Comdata at the start, but the number hadgrown to approximately 40 by the endof 1966, its first full year of production. Annual sales for 1966 reached$800,000.

Sales for 1967 will be nearly $1.5million, though there arc still onlyabout 70 employees. Freeman "Mack"Crank, a founder and Vice Presidentof Comdata, predicts sales will reachbetween $10 and $15 million by 1971.

Today the company occupies an 18,-000 square foot building in Los Angeles, a couple of miles from Disc Packand Substrate. At the rate's growing,more plant space will be needed inthe near future.

Plans for larger facilities are in thediscussion stage; however, it has not yetbeen determined where or how big theywill be.

Comdata's success is a direct resultof the booming magnetic tape industry.Its products include precision components for instrumentation and videotape reels; computer reels; cases forMRX III computer tape; and the newvideo reel case.

The reels supplied to Mcmorex byComdata have recently qualified to beplaced on the federal government'sQualified Product List (QPL). Thismeans that government agencies canorder off this list and sometimes arerequired to order only products on thelist.

Single largest customer of Comdatais Memorex. The subsidiary also supplies a number of other companies withits precision products.

Comdata is a wholly owned subsidiary, but everything Memorex buys

still goes through the Santa Clara Purchasing Department. Mack explainsthis is because his company is a separate profit center. This means thatComdata puts out its own Profit andLoss Statement each month and keepsits own financial records.

Mack and Wayne Geicr foundedComdata, when they were both partners in Bruce Industries, the aerospacefirm mentioned earlier. Wayne stillworks closely with Mack, in his position of Manufacturing Manager. Othersreporting to them are Joe Hall, Purchasing Agent; Jerry Smith, Chief Accountant; and Jack Peterson, Chief Engineer.

Harry Bristow is Plastics Foremanand also works on Quality Control, asdoes Harold Jensen. Frank Ebcy isGeneral Foreman and Malcolm Switzeris in charge of Shipping-Receiving.

A Memorex department that workswith the Southland company is Industrial Engicering. I.E. helps evaluateand "debug" new products, accordingto Cy Kersh, Special Projects IndustrialEngineer.

Cy, Jim Milne and Bob Schauerare three Memorex engineers who spendmuch of their time on Comdata projects.

The original design for new productsusually is the combined effort of JackPeterson, Wayne Geicr and MackCrank; Zicrhut, Vedder and Shimano,an industrial design firm; and the Memorex I.E. Department.

Quality Control also spends sometime with Comdata. The Companyhas its own efficient Q.C. operation,but receives additional assistance fromMemorex's larger and better equippedgroup.

I

Top—Ernest Wallace; Middle—ArthurVogue (foreground) and Henry Ilaynes;Bottom—Harold Jensen; Left—WayneGeicr and Sharyn Allen; Far Left—MackCrank.

Page 4: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

CLASSES, MONEY AVAILABLE—IF YOU'RE INTERESTED

"Official projections of occupationaltrends show above average growth infields where educational prerequisitesfor employment are high," says Seymour Wolfbcin, in his book, "Employment, Unemployment and Public Pol-icy."

Wolfbcin is Special Assistant to theSecretary for Economic Affairs, U. S.Department of Labor. His statementis important for you—if you arc concerned about improving yourself andyour job.

He says the "rise in educational attainment has been steady and persistent during the past generation as amore educated group of young Americans has moved into labor."

Wolfbcin also points out that therising educational standards have madeit difficult for the uneducated and unskilled to find work.

There is no doubt that today's society places great emphasis on education. One example of this is that presently more than 85% of those betweenthe ages of 16 and 17 are in school,compared with only 68% in 1947.

EDUCATION AIDS SUCCESS

In 1964 the average worker in theUnited States had slightly more thana high school education, whereas his1952 counterpart had only about 10'/2years of schooling.

We said that this information isimportant for you, because the statisticshelp point out the fact that the moreextensive your education, the betterwill be your chance of success in yourwork field.

We can write about the need forcontinuing education until our fingersfall off, but it won't do you a bit ofgood unless you know how to solvethe problem.

Chances arc you're married, have2.3 children, a mountain of bills, andyour reaction is "how the heck can Igo back to school and still supportmy family?"

TRAINING OFFERED

You probably can't go back to schoolon a full-time basis—that's not particularly what the company wants. However, Memorex docs have several programs that can help you if you wantto put forth the effort to participate.

One type of program, which is presently handled mainly on a departmental basis is in-plant training. Previous issues of Intercom have carried

stories about the Research DepartmentSeminar Scries, planned to keep itspeople up to date on new developments in work related fields. QualityControl is another department whichruns classes designed to help its peopledo better jobs.

INFORMAL SEMINAR-A researcher andhis wife listen attentively at a recent private elas> on "Dropouts.*'

The employees in Materiel Management take part in a "Cross-Training"program that teaches them to do manydifferent jobs in their department. Thisnot only trains them to better helpeacli other, but also gives them valuable experience toward future promotions.

Those interested in learning moreabout computers can attend a six weekcourse given by Don Casclas, ProductTechnical Services Supervisor.

Don offers the class to all employees,free of charge. Cheek with Don, orPersonnel, for the date of his nextlesson series.

TUITION REFUNDS

Bob Deffeyes, Manager of Manufacturing Technical Services, recentlytaught a nine week course geared foremployees whose jobs require goodtechnical writing. His class will probably be offered again in the spring.

Most managers, supervisors and foremen have attended seminars and takenspecial courses on techniques of management and supervision.

One correspondence course is Dynamics of Supervision, developed bySuccess Motivation Institution. It takes30 minutes a day for 16 weeks to complete.

The company also sends many people to seminars offered by the American Management Association and theIndustrial Education Institute.

Much of the training outside theCompany is paid for under the Tuition Refund Program. You can takeadvantage of this plan to pay for 50to 100% of your tuition costs.

Tuition refunds are explained inyour Employee's Guide, or you cancheck with your supervisor. Briefly,what the plan docs is refund the costof tuition and books if you completecourses directly related to your work.

You may also get a 50% refundfor some courses which are not directlyrelated to your work. You must firsthave your supervisor's approval beforetaking the classes, then you must complete them with "C" grades or better.

The Company also sends employeesto special classes, depending on wherethey work and what they do.

Through these various programs,Mcmorex tries to encourage all employees to take classes after work hours,in adult education, correspondenceschools, universities, business schoolsor other recognized educational institutions.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE—All study, noplay has made Don and Gary dull men;'

NEW SUBSIDIARY FORMEDMemorex has formed another sub

sidiary, but don't go looking for thenew building—it won't have one.

The subsidiary is Mcmorex LeasingCorporation. It is now in operation, toprovide a leasing program for our DiscPacks. The new corporation's workwill be done in Santa Clara, by presentmembers of our Finance Division.

It was formed because many customers prefer to lease packs rather thanpurchase them. Leasing doesn't tie uptheir capital, so they have more moneyavailable for other necessities. Also,many have ordered an advanced diskdrive assembly that uses a differenttype of pack.

Page 5: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

SPECIAL SECTION

FIVE-YEAR-PINNERS RECALL COMPANY'S HECTIC BEGINNING

Late in 1961 nearly 30 employees ofMemorex were caught up in what issurely the most dynamic period in thecompany's short history—its fight forsurvival.

The company had started in a PaloAlto warehouse and it was now beginning to settle into an unfinished 20,000square foot plant in Santa Clara (today's A Building). Furnishings weresparse, equipment was being built andwas still very finiky to operate, and theall important tape formulation was notyet completely developed.

On the plus side, the employees had,without exception, an overwhelmingdesire to produce the world's finestmagnetic tape. You need only to drivedown Shulman Ave. and observe thesize of today's plant to know that thosefirst people and the ones who havejoined them made good, beyond eventheir wildest dreams.

We don't propose to give you afactual history, but we do have a twofold purpose for this special section.First is to take a behind-the-sceneslook at Memorcx's early days, to giveyou an insight into the company's beginning and perhaps find the key toour achievements.

Second is to honor the 32 people whoreceived their five-year pins in the past12 months—they arc the ones who tookpart in those hectic clays.

We think the following stories theyrecount show that a desire to succeed,coupled with able leadership, teamwork, and hours of plain hard work canmake dreams come true.

Norval Dcnncy. Manager, TechnicalService Center, is one of our five-yearveterans. His most prominent memoryof the early days is that he noticedfrom the first that every person in thecompany "seemed conscious of whereMemorex was going. He says, "At timeswe worked 16 hours a clay and thought

I I

hi

l:• •?. '

REMEMBER THIS?—We didn't think you would. It's our first Shulman Ave.building.

nothing of it. There was a tremendousteam effort to solve problems, becauseeveryone was driven to make the company successful."

Norv notes that many companieshave grown as fast as Memorex, butfew actually have gone into production with the product they set out tomake—as Mcmorex did.

The fact that our company could hitthe market from the start and achievehigh quality is the prime reason forour success, adds Norv.

George Wright agrees that the spiritand enthusiasm was a major factor inour early accomplishments. George isthe first and only Manager of Marketing Services. He came to Memorex from3M's Minnesota plant, soon after hisformer boss, Ed Seaman, MarketingVice President, left there for SantaClara.

George's Minnesota neighbors saidhe was "nuts" to leave everything tojoin a company that wasn't even inproduction yet. Thankfully, his neighbors were wrong.

Ed Seaman had joined us as National Sales Manager. He started toset up our field sales force seven months

before the first tape was sold. He recruited our first five salesmen (BruceMcGilaway, John Wicgcrs, Jim Can-trell, George Kulper, Vcrn Kucllmer)while traveling throughout the country, telling people about Memorex andlining up potential customers. Ed estimates he flew at least 150,000 mileshis first year.

While Ed was readying the market,people like Lou Higashi were still trying to get the tape into production.Lou was our Senior Chemist for Coatings Research and Development.

His first job was to give advice onhow to improve our original formulation. But, before he could do anythinghe had to buy equipment and set up aCoatings Lab. The first lab was in theroom still occupied by Coatings. It wasfilled with some old and sagging tablesand a minimum of equipment. Lou saysthis is "quite a contrast to workingconditions today, which arc relativelyplush."

Memorcx's achievements are oftenlauded, notes Lou, but he says fewpeople realize an even more amazingfact about the early days —the menwho started our company came from

Page 6: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

other fields and didn't have any background in the tape industry. "It is atribute to them that they could learnso quickly and do so well."

Much of the "on-the-job training"was done by the founders themselves,as they spent long hours developingnew machinery and, later, workingwith the first clean room technicians.

Wayne Elder, who was Bob Brumbaugh's first assistant in the Engineering Department, recalls that seeingLarry Noon, Rex Lindsay (he has sinceleft), Laurence Spitters and otherstrying to fix clean room machinerywas a common occurrence.

Wayne has spent his entire time atMemorex designing and improving ourslitting machines. Some of the firstproblems he had to overcome, however, were not with the machinery asmuch as with his work environment.

The company had little money tospend on furnishings at the time andWayne's rickety old wooden desk,

RESEARCHERS - These 5-year-pinnersfrom Research are, from left, Dan Rivas,John Klein, Huss Johnston and LouHigashi.

parked in a warehouse corner, was aprime example of what everyone wasusing. His chair may have been worsethan average, though. It was a swiveltype that lost one of its casters everyso often, spilling Wayne to the floor.Ironically, this had only happened acouple of times when Wayne was madeplant safety inspector. Llis chair wasreplaced soon after.

Vern Schwartz, now at Peripheral,was hired into Engineering soon afterWayne. Lie too got a decrepit desk, inthe warehouse. He says the companycouldn't afford to light the area, sohe worked by sunlight that filteredthrough the windows.

Howard Burkhart, sole member ofour Accounting Department in February, 1962, couldn't complain abouthis desk—he brought it with him! Hesays money was so short at one pointthat year we had to sell our buildingand lease it back to keep going. Webought it back, when finances im-

proved. Howard's boss was Carl Anderson, who was (and still is) Secretary.

Aging furniture was common in '61and '62, but no one paid much attention. There were far more importantproblems to solve. When Bill Christiecame, the formulation was still notready, so he assisted Gordon MacBeth,as a kind of high level jack-of-all-tracles. Bill's primary duty was to makecoating line runs with different testformulations. Lie also was involved insetting up the entire original production line.

To make his already demanding jobeven tougher, each day he traveled a125 mile round trip between his homeand work. Bill, Gordon, Dick Vascyand Larry Noon all lived close to eachother, in the Concord-Lafayette area,so they formed a car pool.

They left home at 6 every morningand didn't make it back until 10 or 11at night. Sometimes they worked too

NEW DISC CASE-Joe Stewart, left, compares a new Disc I'ack case with an oldone held by George Wright.

late to drive all the way home and itwas easier to rent a motel room nearthe plant. Rumor has it that one ofthe four even spent a few nights ona cot at work.

Bill says the early problems werereally minimal, though he remembersthat some of the equipment earned newnames from time to time. The originalfilm cleaning bath was so tempcrmen-tal it soon came to be called "Satan'sTub."

Some of the other pieces of equipment also gave people fits before theywere finally refined. Dick Ahlschlagerwas one of our first mylar bath operators. Lie tells how he used to adjust"Satan's Tub" by kicking it in justthe right spot. Dick has since beenpromoted to Production Control Clerk,though probably not because of hiskicking ability.

Joe Stewart remembers when thesurface trcater's clean room was actually a sheet of clear plastic, anchored

to the floor, and supported by air pressure. Joe worked inside the "tent," asthe company's second surface treater.

Denie Burgstrom was the first swingshift instrumentation tape rcwindcr,and she could see the tent from whereshe worked. Denie says it collapsedevery time two doors into the roomwere opened at once, causing loudoaths and feverish activity from thoseinside.

Denie's rewind machine was alsoa bit troublesome at times, though shesoon learned to fix it with paper clips,rubber bands, hair pins and anythingelse that would keep it going.

The certifiers were primitive compared to today's equipment, Denie explains. The production line was alsoquite different. One girl did all the jobsat first, from certification to final packaging.

Ethel Anderson, the first full-timelady clean room worker, recalls howno one could work in the room one day—and it wasn't because of the machines. A water pipe had broken dur-the night, filling the clean room floorwith a about 3" of water. She sayseveryone, including the executives, tookoff their shoes and socks, then sweptthe water out.

Everyone pitched in to dry out theroom, because, as Steve Windisch putsit, "We were a close knit group. Whenpeople saw problems, they helped solvethem."

Steve joined the company as SeniorMechanical Engineer, when we hadbeen producing tape on a single experimental line for four months. Theslitting and rewinding machinesworked, but they still needed some design changes.

MARY ELLEN'S IS MADE A CUP TO ACI I'—So was lYIcmorcv formulation inIhe pre-production days of 1962. Readying the brew is Hill Christie.

Page 7: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

YE OLDE ENGINEERING DEPT.-OnlyBob Brumbaugh is missing from thisearly shot of our lirst engineers, as theywork in their unfinished second flooroffice. From left are Wayne Elder, LesIladley, Steve Windisch and VeraSchwartz.

Steve's boss was Bob Brumbaugh,now president of Peripheral Systems.Bob, Wayne Elder, Vern Schwartz, LesHadIcy and Steve spent many hoursgetting the production lines going, thenrefining them.

The first full scale production re-winder was designed by Steve, whoseonly prior experience with them wasin trying to improve the original ones.His design was a big improvement, butat first it had a few flaws.

One day an operator overloaded thenew rewinder and it blew up in a cloudof thick black smoke. Luckily, no onewas injured.

Another time, says Al Jones, BobWall in was trying to run Steve's newmachine and wasn't doing too well.Bob finally gave up, and in exasperation, ripped the tape off the machine,threw it on the floor, stomped on itand walked away.

Al Jones came to the company asour first full-time slitter operator. Liewas one of five on the swing shift. Nowhe is an Associate Engineer at Peripheral.

Al's foreman was Earl Bartel. Earlwas promoted to foreman just sixmonths after he was hired. He startedas an operator—you name it he operated it. He ran the slitter, certifier, andsurface treatcr at various times beforehis promotion. When Earl started, theProduction Department consisted ofEthel Anderson, certifier; Trini Fa-bella, takcup; Roland Gallcgos, slitter;Tom Wcbcr, coating; Bob Wallin,foreman; and Dick Vascy, supervisor.

There was much to do and, likeEarl, everyone did many jobs. So, hesays, it was not unusual to occasionally sec Dick Vascy and a janitor ontheir hands and knees, scrubbing theclean room floor.

Nor was it unusual that John Kleinremembers Mr. Spittcrs coming into

work early in the morning and sweep-thc front office floors. The primary goalof everyone was to get the job done,with the least amount of fuss.

John is now an Associate Engineer.His first contributions to Memorexwere made as a circuit designer in Research. Later, he set up our ElectronMicroscope Lab. Lie also did some workon our earliest surfacing machine,which uses a unique process that originated with Memorex and is still a closely guarded secret.

Another of the first researchers wasRuss Johnston, now doing analog recording research. lie started in productResearch, assisting Dr. MacBeth, EricDaniel and the others in developingthe tape formulation.

Russ says it cost them "a lot of sweatand tears," but they kept trying different formulations, until they got itright. Lack of test equipment was ahinderance they partially eliminatedby building whatever they needed.

Dan Rivas joined Research in May,1962, about three months after Russ."When I came they were making tapeand throwing it out," recalls Dan. Thecompany wasn't about to market aninferior product. Dan became LouHigashi's assistant and they've workedtogether ever since.

Our researchers have done theirjobs exceptionally well, though it hasnaturally taken a lot of trial and errorto reach their goals. One of those errors Dan would rather forget happenedearly in the company's life. With highhopes he put a formulation on mylarand sent it through the lab's smalloven. Unfortunately, the coating stuckvery well—on the inside of the oven—and it took a week to clean out thegooey mess.

Some of the notable successes in Research have been Lou Higashi's fourpatent disclosures: for a heat resistantmagnetic coaling; a polyurcthanc coat-

PUCKER UP ETIIEL-Eormer Vice President Rex Lindsay seems to he passing outmore than champagne at our 1966 SalesParty. With him, from left are RamonaGoodwin, Gloria Pitta and Ethel Anderson.

THEY'VE MOVED — Howard Rurkart,left, and Allan Jones, who are now atPeripheral Systems, look over a partiallycompleted 630 Dise Drive.

ing; our present Disc Pack coating; anda special smooth epoxy coating thatdoesn't require our surface treatingprocesses. Patent disclosures are justapplications for patents, but Lou hassome of the latter also—six to be exact.In addition he has five others that arepending, from when he worked atMonsanto.

After Research develops our productsand Manufacturing makes them, oneof the world's most discriminatingQuality Control Departments takesover. Kaye Wright was the first ladyQ.C. inspector and a member of thefirst Q.C. clean room team.

Today she analyzes mixes in theChemical Development Department.She says Q.C. Inspection was not theart it is now. Once, a prankster tookadvantage of the situation to put anote reading, "Llelp, I'm a prisoner

IS THAT US?—Denie Rurgstrom, DickAhlschlager, Clarence Hamm and TomWeber inspect the Polaroid shot we didn'tuse. All four helped run the first production line.

Page 8: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

in a magnetic tape factory" in a bagheaded for NASA.

Before you get any ideas, the culpritgot a tongue lashing. Conditions werenot quite that informal!

However, they were informal enoughthat Ron Fisher remembers when thoseattending production meetings in thesurface treating room used to listenwhile lying on the floor. At times. Rontook advantage of the "big family atmosphere" to call Rex Lindsay "chubby." Rex countered by firing him atleast twice a day.

Part of the family feeling came fromthe relatively small group working inclose contact with one another, thoughit helped that most of the first employees knew someone before they werehired.

Clarence "Clancy" Hamm got hisjob because of a chance meeting withEd Seaman. He was one of the Mayflower employees who helped Ed move

-Jr*

into his new home in 1962. Unsatisfied with his job, Clancy asked Ed ifMemorex was hiring.

Clancy was one of several lunch-time basketball players. They had abackboard behind A Building, whereaction was fast and furious.

Tom Weber, another of the baskct-ballers, says there were also two ping-pong tables on the then unfinishedand otherwise barren second floor. Theplant ping-pong championship washotly contested between Laurence Spit-ters and Bob Wallin.

Memorcx's metamorphosis from asmall company to a successful largerone came quickly. It didn't hit RonHendel until the ping-pong tables weretaken down to make room for a secondfloor cafeteria.

Ron was the second mix operator.In addition, he has the distinction ofbeing our first regular employee on

***b>/

AROVE—When the second MAG Committee ever elected met in July, 1964, three ofour earliest employees were on it. Committee meinhers were, from left, Boh Wallin(S years), Lary Lindsey, Don Horn, Ann Rassford, Earl Rartel (5 years), KayeWright (5 years), iSima Luttrell and Pete Aye.

BELOW LEFT-Trini Fabella, left, and Roland Gallegos talk over "the good old•lays," when hoth worked on the original production line.

RELOW RIGHT—Ron Fisher started five years ago as a Surface Treater and hasmoved up to Industrial Engineer Technilion.

grave yard shift. Actually, Zebbie Evans worked as janitor from 6 p.m. to2:30 a.m. before then, but he's an employee of K-M Maintenance. Zebbiehas been here longer than about 95%of our present employees.

Ron jokes, "In those days I wasPlant Manager on graves and Zebbiewas my assistant."

Ron's job was to get the mix readyfor the next morning's work, whichwas limited compared to today. GloriaPitta and Ramona Goodwin say theirfirst raises came at about the time Ronwas working nights, as reward for putting out 50 reels in one day. That figure hardly compares with our presentoutput of several thousand reels daily.

But then it is hard to compare thestruggling little company of 1962 withthe Memorex of today. Look at the accomplishments we've made in six shortyears—has the extra effort and teamwork been worth it? We think so.

/

UFIRST FIELD SALES FORCE-Ed Seaman (top left) and the original five-mansales force spread the word about Memorex so well they now have help fromabout 35 other salesmen in the UnitedStales, plus those in our foreign offices.With Ed are John Wiegers (top right),Jim Cantrell (second row left), RruceMeGilaway (right), George Kulper (thirdrow, left) and Vern Kuellnier.

Page 9: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

Partygoers Dine, Dance At Annual Christmas Event

Page 10: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

DISCUSSION PRAISES PLAN FOR REDUCING IN-PLANT INJURIES

A group of doctors met last nighton a note of cautious optimism.

"I do believe we all may get vacations this year," announced Dr. Frederick Short, president of a local doctors group that specializes in treatingindustrial injuries.

Other physicians were less sure.After all, they reasoned, one company'ssafety program won't necessarily meanthat many less injuries.

"Nonsense," boomed Dr. Short."Mcmorex is one of the area's biggestcorporations. Its program is bound toreduce industrial injuries by a significant margin."

He proceeded to outline the company's program, which is designed toreduce accidents in the plant. "Memorex has three employee committees.First is the Workman's Safety Committee. It is presently headed by asharp-eyed fellow named ClarenceHamm. Helping him are Tillman May-berry, Beverly Basquez, Ray Papa andJocelyn Shuffclton.

The group tours the plant once amonth, looking for potential safetyhazards. So far they've managed to finda few problems to correct on everytour, but each month they have to looka little harder."

"Just what does this Memorex bunchhave to do with my vacation time,"snapped Dr. Max Pretzel, who had justarrived.

Dr. Short explained that the company was helping the over-worked industrial injury specialists by loweringthat plant's accident rate. "In fact,"Dr. Short said, "We aren't gettingenough business from Mcmorex to keepus in golf balls. Their three committeesystem really works."

He further stated that the Workman'sCommittee submits a report to the Foreman's Safety Committee after each tour.The Foreman's group goes over the report and assigns each hazard to a supervisor or manager. They also sendalong some suggestions on how to makethe needed corrections.

Bill Christie, Production Manager,is the Foreman's Committee chairman.Working with him are Mike Munson,Bob Faltynski, Allen Jcong, SteveDunn, Ron Cogswell, Carmel Wilton,Ursula Ncvins, Suellen Rutshaw andRon Gross.

Dr. Short went on to mention theForeman's group members must alsogo over Company Nurse Carmel Wilton's monthly report on occupationalinjuries, to see how they can prevent

the same type of accidents from happening again. Finally, they go over ahazard report prepared by Art Schwartz.

Art is a member of the General SafetyCommittee, which is headed by SteveWindisch, Plant Engineering Manager.Olher members of his group are DustyRhodes, Don Smith, Bob Deffeyes andMary Juliano. Art is also on the Foreman's Committee.

"Wait a minute," interrupted Dr.Pretzel. "Why bother with all thesenames."

"Because they've done such a goodjob of lowering the accident rate atMemorex," answered a visiting insurance man. "Our firm carries their policy and we've substantially loweredtheir premiums,due to their high safety

rating. If you doctors get more timeoff, it's partly because of the threesafety committees."

The insurance man explained thathe sits in on the monthly GeneralSafety Committee meetings. They discuss major issues like noise levels andareas where safety clothing should beworn.

Sometimes they call in outside helpto work out remedies for problems.

After the discussion, the doctorsagreed that the safety committees arcextremely helpful. They voted a special thanks to the committees for theirwork in reducing accidents.

Then, they proceeded onto the meeting's major issue—something to do withnurses and mini-skirts.

Volunteer Teacher Rises At 4 a.m.To Conduct Special Church Class

By Sara Millar

Thanks to a happy boyhood memory, one of our employees gets up at 4every week day morning, to teach aclass before he comes to work!

Floyd Pederson, a Chemical LabTechnician in CDD, so enjoyed acourse he took when he was in highschool that he decided if the opportunity ever arose, he would teach thesame kind of class. The chance cameand he took it.

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Llis students are girls and boys fromDel Mar, Leigh and Camden HighSchools, in San Jose. The class is partof the Mormon Church Seminary Program, directed by Brigham Young University, but is open to all interestedyoung people of any faith.

It is a voluntary project for bothstudents and teacher. The whole program covers four years of work, including studies of the Old and NewTestament, church history, and theBook of Mormon.

Classes consist of brief prayer, theday's lesson and discussion of the lesson. Floyd says the "kids can get veryexcited," even at 6:30 in the morning.Watching them figure things out forthemselves is what makes the classworthwhile.

Floyd came to Mcmorex in September, 1965. He is a 1960 graduate ofBYU, with a degree in Chemistry. Following graduation, he spent 21/2 yearsin Germany on his mission, which isthe obligation of every young man inthe Mormon Church. He is marriedand has one son. Tommy, who is 18months old. Llis wife's name is Kay.

This is Floyd's second year of teaching the class and he is pretty enthusiastic about it, and his students. He ismost impressed with the fact that teenagers are willing to get up at 5:30every morning to do anything—especially to attend a class!

He says these are "all around kidsnot goody-goodies." Floyd feels thatthese young people are more typicalof today's young people than the fewwild ones we hear so much about. Hegives his students the credit for whatthey are doing, but one can't helpfeeling that maybe we would havemore fine teen-agers if more men werewilling to give their time and talents.

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Dirty Air A Problem?Not In Clean Room

If you are worried about air pollution you should stay in the clean room.Contamination Control SupervisorLarry Mullins says our clean roomactually has purer air than the besthospital operating rooms. In fairnessto hospitals, we should mention thatthey are more concerned with makingthings sterile than having dust free air.

Larry reports that the air inside isactually getting cleaner instead of morepolluted. llis latest dust particle countsare significantly lower than in previous months.

He says the two major reasons forthe lower counts are new restrictionson wearing makeup in the room anda doubling of the room's cleaning force.

Measuring dust particles 3/10 of amicron and larger per cubic foot ofair, Larry found that since June Slitting has dropped from 24,000 particlesto 5,000; Instrumentation has loweredfrom 25,000 to 2,500; Computers andLabeling has dropped from 55,000 to35.000; and the average for Coating'sfour lines has gone from 15.000 downto 5,000 particles.

IN MEMORIAM

Jim Cantrcll, one of Memorcx'sfirst five salesmen, passed away October 27, at the age of 40.

A notice written by Bill Gaskins,National Sales Manager, said, "Iknow you all join me in extendingour deepest sympathy to Jim's family and relatives. Needless to say,we, at Mcmorex, share their loss inour own way. We have all lost afriend, and the company has lostone of its most outstanding managers."

Jim was known as one of theSouth's most accomplished salesmenand often drew praise from his fellow employees, customers, and competitors, alike. Lie served as salesengineer from 1962, through mid-1965, when he was promoted toSouthern Regional Sales Manager.

From his Atlanta, Georgia, headquarters he directed the sale ofMemorex products in an eleven-state area. He also was directly responsible for major accounts in hisregion.

CHAMPS AGAIN—Jim Ellis, MAG President, presents the slow-pitch Softball teamwith the trophies they earned for placing first in the Santa Clara Parks ami RecreationDepartment Kennedy League, with a perfeet 5-0 record. Many of these same playerswere also on our championship fast-pitch squad last summer.

Disc Drive Draws Crowd at Conference

Memorex publicly introduced twonew products at the recent Fall JointComputer Conference held in Anaheim. Peripheral Systems Corporationdemonstrated the Memorex 630 Scries

Disc Drive and the new Memorex DiscPacks were shown for the first timeat a major computer convention.

An estimated 4000 data processingconventioneers visited the Memorex 30-foot display. In addition to the newproduct announcements, the Memorexbooth featured live certification ofMRX-III computer tape at 1600 bpi/3200 fci.

The objectives of the PSC demonstration were to: (1) demonstrate thetechnical advantages of the 630 SeriesDrive; and (2) to develop interest on

A Thanks From MAG

The MAG Board of Directors wouldlike to show their appreciation to themany people who worked so hard tomake the Christmas dance the tremendous success that it was. Kurt Ukatcontributed his capable services bydrawing up the various floor plans andsupervising the actual setup. Ron andCarl Fisher assisted with many hoursof hard work in regards to decorations.Too numerous to mention are all thegirls from within the plant and employees wives, who made the tabledecorations that wc enjoyed.

THANK YOU!

Lindy Carmack

MAG Dance Chairman

the part of potential buyers. The reception to the drive exceeded PSC's highesthopes. Originally, it had been plannedto demonstrate the drive at periodic intervals, every two hours. Llowever,since people were standing three andfour deep around the booth most ofthe time, the drive was run continually for the entire three days.

PSC is in competition with two otherfirms: IBM and Control Data. Themost important technical advantageof the drive is the average access timefor head positions. IBM uses hydraulicswhile Control Data uses a printed circuit motor. PSC uses a linear motor.

PSC's average access time is the bestin the industry: 50 ms (millionths ofa second). IBM's average is 75 ms,while Control Data is last with anaverage access time of approximately1000 ms.

A tester was also developed by PSCand used at the show to demonstratethe faster average times possible withthe 630 Drive. A counter was placedon top of the tester and access time waseasily visible to the audience.

Santa Goes Mod at DPC

A mod Santa Claus, cleverly disguised as Dick Penny, will make thescene at Disc Pack's Christmas Party,Saturday, December 23.

The Champagne Dinner-Dance willbe at DandePs Restaurant in Los Angeles. A four piece band will providemusic for an audience of about 130Disc Pack employees and guests.

Page 12: INTERCOM · extensive your education, the better will be your chance of success in your work field. We can write about the need for continuing education until our fingers fall off,

MEMOREX INTERCOM

Memorex CorporationSanta Clara, Calif. 95050

RETURN REQUESTED

New Hires WelcomedThe Santa Clara Plant finally has

more than 1,000 employees. Now wecan stop mentioning that we're gettingclose. As of November 30, Intercom'sdeadline, there were 992 employees inSanta Clara. New hires in Decemberwill more than make up for the eightmissing persons.

We welcome these new people toMemorex: Judyth Nelson, Marketing;Diane Russell, Production; MurielDowney, Administration; Mabel Ward,Administration; Dorothy Baldwin, Production; Bonnie Chandler, Production;Donald Ehlc, Production.

Patricia Hcflin, Production; StanleyKelly, Maintenance; Valentin a Maha-badij Quality Control; Frank Panico,Production; Alberto Oxonian, CDD;Joanne Butlerworth, Research; AlbirUhrich, Production; David PedcrscnQuality Control; John Shinn, QualityControl.

James Ringwood, Marketing; MollySanchez, Production; Thclma LIuntcr,Production; Patricia Garcia, Production; Gus Lopez, Production; ShirleyMedina, Administration; Clcon Johnson, Finance; Shirley Davis, Production; Christopher Richmond, Production.

Doris Blado, Production; Janice Mercer, Production; Michele Pray, Production; Patricia Wasdcn, Production;Christopher Richmond, Production;Charles Scarbrough, Quality Control;Jennings Jolly, Research; Howard Anton, Research; Manuel Silva, QualityControl; Bob Brown, Production.

Hcnk Evcnhuis, Finance; GeraldCase, Industrial Engineering; DavidWoolston, Production; Gary Bunas,CDD; Richard Martin, Production;Robert De Vore, Industrial Engineering; Ravil Tahir, Quality Control;Dennis Day, Production; FlorenceGross, Production.

Robert McLane, Production; DavidConnell, Production; Glenn Ray, Engineering; Leonard Konopacky, Production; Gail MacLachlan, Production;Llelen Holcomb, Production; MatiasOrtiz, Maintenance; Wilfred Anderson,Quality Control; Bernard Burnett,Quality Control.

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JOIN THE CROWD—First prize in the 1967 Profit Sharingcontest is a FREE trip to Disneyland. See January's Intercom for details.