The Thomas J. O’Rourke collection includes records that Thomas J. O’Rourke collected as the founder of Tymshare and former employee of General Electric (GE), as well as thirteen books related to the computer industry. Over half of the materials pertain to Tymshare.
The collection spans 1950 to1997, with the bulk of the material dated between 1960 and 1990. Highlights of the collection include speeches that Tom O’Rourke gave to employees and at conferences, Tymnet diagrams and other product literature, and New York Stock Exchange information and photographs. Also included is quite a bit of content regarding employee reunions at both companies. There is an emphasis on Tymshare stock value and industry trends from a business perspective.
Biographical/Historical Note
Thomas J. O’Rourke was the founder, President and CEO of Tymshare (founded in 1964 and sold in1984), a time-sharing company in Cupertino, California. Prior to founding Tymshare, he worked at General Electric (GE). O’Rourke received a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington in 1948. He was a venture capitalist for Hambrecht & Quist Venture Partners from 1985 to 1990. O’Rourke was married to Marge O’Rourke and a father of six children. He and his family resided in Mountain View, California from 1964 until he passed away in 2002.
O’Rourke started at GE in the welding department. When the company phased that department out, he became the district manager for the GE computer department in Los Angeles. In this role, he worked on the development of the Electronic Recording Method of Accounting (ERMA), a banking accounting system that GE was building for Bank of America. Later he moved to a sales position in Phoenix, Arizona, followed by a regional manager position in San Francisco. After being fired from this position due to a personality conflict with a manager, O’Rourke declined an offer to relocate and stay with GE and instead started his own business.
The business, at first called O’Rourke Enterprises and later renamed to Tymshare, was based on an idea for time-sharing computer systems. O’Rourke had been exposed to the idea of time-sharing at GE when a Dartmouth University project team had approached GE for donations of computers with which to test this innovative idea. O’Rourke was intrigued by the concept and felt that it was a promising business idea. Tymshare was incorporated in 1966.
Tymshare worked on ways of improving data transfer, and formed a division called Tymnet. Tymnet was likely the first commercial application of a new packet technology that increased the capacity of phone lines to handle larger quantities of data being transferred.
Tymshare became a public company in 1970, going on the New York Stock Exchange in 1974. The business, originally targeting the engineering market, developed new markets including software, financial services, and communications. As the company grew, first domestically and then internationally, it acquired other companies along the way. Tymshare became active in the industry trade group Association of Data Processing Service Organizations (ADAPSO). In 1984 Tymshare was acquired by McDonnell Douglas Automation.
Tymshare 1980 stock prospectus and personal check. The personal check is from George Quist to Thomas J. O'Rourke for an amount of $50.00. The prospectus and check are both dated April 18, 1980. The common stock price per share that is printed on the prospectus is $42.75.
Miscellaneous Tymshare correspondence. Noted items include: 1) 12/26/69 to stockholders. 2) A 1/12/84 letter from Tom O'Rourke to Senator Lautenberg, based upon some agreement that O'Rourke would respond. 3) On GE letterhead, dated 7/29/65, to O'Rourke, acknowledging his resignation, with some attachments including a carbon copy of Tom's resignation letter of 7/19/65, effective 7/30/65. 1993 letter between T.J. O'Rourke and H.R. Oldfield was regarding a story Oldfield was writing about the GE Computer Department.
8x10 photograph of "option" brand bank teller kiosk. From a folder of documents supporting "Tymshare Long Range Planning Meeting" on 1/25-29, 1980, in Japan.
Services brochures for Tymshare Medical Systems and for Tymex network. Folder also includes "Development plans for Sigma 7 : preliminary company confidential."
Employee group photo, unidentified, and photograph of Tymnet-Man drawing pinned to bulletin board. Tymnet-Man resembles Pac-Man, which came a decade later.
Some speeches and dictation of articles, some handwritten, some with marginal notes, roughly between 1973 and 1983. Examples include: 1) Speech and presentation at annual shareholder's meeting 5/10/83, 2) Speech to security analysts : Hambrecht & Quist Seminar, San Francisco, 3) A profile of the computer services industry : remarks by Thomas J. O'Rourke before the New York Society of Security Analysts June 17, 1975 4) A Tymshare, Inc. presentation for the New York Society of Security Analysts June 18, 1979.
Large format advertisement that ran in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, January 6, 1976. Heading is: "Where the financial and corporate communities meet : the 76 Tsai forum." Originally housed in 102726401.
Some speeches and commentaries to employees, universities, and government bodies, roughly between 1971 and 1984. Examples include: 1) Speech to Tymshare employees during week of 2/13/84, 2) Modern office procedures - 1984 ADAPSO industry report (with associated letter), 3) Speech before the National Computer Conferece, Chicago May 6, 1974, 4) National Computer Conference session - utility computing : a superior alternative?, 5) Speech to security analysts November 28, 1972, 6) Outline of remarks by T.J. O'Rourke at the 13th institutional investor seminar, September 12, 1979, 7) Speech to New York Society of Security Analysts June 18, 1979, 8) Speech given at Tymshare management meeting February 16, 1979.
Some speeches, memos and presentations to various groups, some handwritten itmes and/or notes, roughtly between 1979 and 1983. Examples of materials within folder include: 1) "Remarks at 15th National Data Systems Forum & Exhibits December 13, 1983", 2) "Speech and presentation at annual shareholders meeting 5/10/83", 3) "Some strategic perspectives for Tymshare", 4) "Statement of Thomas J. O'Rourke before the Telecommunications, Consumer Protection and Finance subcommittee of the United States House of Representatives, May 27, 1981", 5) "Outline of my comments for the Market Chronicle, 6) "Talk by T.J. O'Rourke at annual shareholder's meeting May 22, 1980", 7) "Commentary by T.J. O'Rourke at 1980 annual shareholder's meeting May 22, 1980", 8) "Outline of remarks by T.J. O'Rourke at "Eight Technology Companies for the Eighties" December 6, 1979", 9) "Tymshare presentation New York Society of Security Analysts, Inc. June 18, 1979", 10) "Outline of remarks by T.J. O'Rourke to Chicago Science Analysts November 14, 1979."
Oversize items from a folder of T.J. O'Rourke's speeches and related materials. Includes articles from Market Chronicle Thursday February 24, 1983 and an article titled: "Merging with a giant - Tymshare Inc. today : on the eve of a buyout." Originally housed in 102726404.
Some speeches, memos, and presentations to various groups, some handwritten items and/or notes, roughly between 1974 and 1983. Examples of contents include: 1) Reprint from Business Week September 5, 1977 issue : "The acquisition binge in computer services," 2) The burgeoning use of computer technology and what it means to us, 3) Speech given at ADAPSO First World Computing Services Industry Group June 1978, 4) Speech made to the Quantum Science Seminar November 19, 1974, 5) Remarks by Thomas J. O'Rourke before the New York Society of Security Analysts June 17, 1975, 6) Speech at annual shareholder's meeting May 20, 1975, 7) Speech to New Employees Group May 1, 1975, 8) Remarks at 15th National Data Systems Forum & Exhibits December 13, 1983.
Business Week issue of 9/5/77 containing article about computer services on page 82, with a picture of Tom and quote: "What happened to the corner grocery stores is happening now in the data-processing industry." There were also pictures of ADP's Lautenberg and Intel's Redfield, as well as other people mentioned in the body of the article. Several other press clippings are included in the folder.
Tymshare auditors' reports from A.A. & Co., San Jose office, for 1966-1969.
Collection has the following:
as of December 31, 1966 together with auditors' report
as of December 31, 1967 together with auditors' report (tentative & preliminary for discussion purposes only)
as of December 31, 1968 and 1967 together with auditors' report
as of July 31, 1968 together with auditors' report
as of December 31, 1969 together with auditors' report