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Life story

" Years at MIT, enlistment in the Airforce and his professional career

I arrived at MIT after following a circuitous route during my whole life, including growing up in Mexico (7 years), Cuba (6 years), Germany (1 year) and, finally, the U.S., where I attended high school. This was my first experience in a U.S. school except for a brief stint in elementary school in Texas. After returning from my year in Germany I ended up as a Junior in high school because of such a difference in curriculum between Germany and the U.S. while my contemporaries had moved on to their Senior class. Astoundingly, MIT admitted me after my Junior year, even though my grades had not been straight A’s in high school and after they had pretty well assured me, after a personal interview during a visit to MIT in my Junior year, that I would not be considered for admission to MIT until after I graduated from High School a year later. But, in the Summer of 1958, MIT contacted me to advise me that I would be admitted to the Institute if I completed two basic college level courses in chemistry and math that Summer. Having done that, I entered the Freshman class at MIT in the Fall of 1958, still ill-prepared for the experience that awaited me. But, when I got to MIT, I ended up loving and admiring every aspect of the experience, including, and particularly, the friendships I formed with a GREAT bunch of guys at Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, friendships that have lasted to this day. Unfortunately, I had difficulty mastering my scholastic experience, ending up joining the Air Force after my Sophomore year, returning to college as part of an Air Force program, ultimately graduating from Arizona State with a B.S. in Math. I had finally found my footing and grown in maturity. Nonetheless, nothing ever matched my wonderful experiences at MIT…a truly remarkable institution which had lasting impact on my life.
After a premature departure from MIT, I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where I had an incredible 6-year experience and began my long career in computer technology, initially as an enlisted man and, later as an officer. This was also a memorable experience which opened up great opportunities. After leaving the Air Force in 1966, I worked for Braniff International Airways in Dallas as a Programmer and Systems Analyst. I subsequently went to work for Control Data Corporation, a computer manufacturer based in Minnesota, where I worked as Programmer and Project Manager. My stint at Control Data was a rich and rewarding one, laying the foundation for my future endeavors in Management in several small companies, one of which we took public. The first such small firm was led by former Litton Industries managers. In 1974 one of my cohorts and I founded a small company in the communications and networking business. During this period, I spent two years living in India where we were building and selling computers in the local Indian market. In the U.S. we were awarded significant contracts by my old employer, Control Data, as well as by Lockheed Corporation and were retained by Bank of America in San Francisco in a consulting capacity in the communications area. We also developed industry specific communications networks which we operated as a service. Finally, I ventured out as a consultant to firms and individuals both, in California and later in Texas, focusing on PC issues and networks."