Eugene F. McDonald
Eugene F. McDonald (born March 11, 1886 in Syracuse , New York , † May 15, 1958 ) was the founder of Zenith Radio , a large US radio and electronics company , in 1921 . He was also the inventor of the portable world receiver .
Life
McDonald's father was a warehouse manager and insurance seller. McDonald dropped out of high school at the age of 14 to support his family. In 1904 he started working for the HH Franklin Manufacturing Company in Syracuse. He rose quickly in sales and marketing and made a name for himself there. In 1910 he moved to Chicago to take part in a speculative venture run by a friend who wanted to build cars himself. The business was unsuccessful and McDonald lost its investment.
In 1911 he was with a trading company in Detroit that sold used cars. At the end of 1912 he founded a credit company that financed new and used cars. From 1917 to 1919 he served in the US Navy , most recently with the rank of Lieutenant Commander . During his service time he understood the functioning of a telegraphone , a device that combined the telephone and the recording of calls. The manufacturer of the device no longer existed and McDonald capitalized on it.
His interest in radio increased in 1920 when he learned that it could be used to make money. However, it was necessary to obtain a production license from Edwin Armstrong - and this was postponed indefinitely. However, in 1921 he partnered with the founders of the Chicago Radio Laboratory , Karl Hassel and Ralph Mathews . Under the name "Z-nith", this company held a valuable license from Armstrong, but had no means of expansion to fulfill the orders from their books.
McDonald was named general manager and in 1923 the company was officially named Zenith Radio Corporation . Finally, in 1927, the company was big enough to secure its own RCA production license.
Because of his rank in the US Navy, he was also addressed as Commander within his company .
literature
- John H. Bryan, A. Jones: The Zenith Trans-Oceanic: The Royalty of Radios . Schiffer Publishing, Atglen (USA) 1995.
Web links
- Eugene F. McDonald in the database of Find a Grave (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | McDonald, Eugene F. |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American inventor and entrepreneur |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 11, 1886 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Syracuse , New York |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 15, 1958 |