Massachusetts Tech Pioneers Oral History Project
Ray Ozzie, inventor of Lotus Notes
Ray Ozzie (L) with Steve Guerriero
For our first interview, we were welcomed into the home of Ray Ozzie, inventor of Lotus Notes, Microsoft's Chief Software architect after Bill Gates, and one of the most impactful innovators of the Digital Revolution. Our interview with him was enlightening and delightful!
Ray was amazingly generous with his time, expertise, and his story. He was sure to mention so many others that were active and driving innovation along with him (many that we hope to speak to as part of this long-term project).
He's a forward-thinking innovator and entrepreneur, still grappling with the complex challenges and human-centered solutions of the future - now working with his current startup, Blues.
One of the elements of Ray Ozzie's story that struck our Director of Education, and interviewer, Steve Guerriero as key is that Ray has always seen computers as facilitators of social connection - of collaboration and problem solving. That mission-driven pursuit has served him well in the past, but is as relevant now as it ever was.
Sherwin Greenblatt, Bose Co. employee No.1
Sherwin Greenblatt is a a true Massachusetts tech pioneer who, alongside Dr. Amar Bose, built Bose Corporation from idea to multi-billion dollar company.
He told us the story of how he has a student preparing to graduate from MIT had never imagined hit go into a field of audio equipment, let alone stay here on the East Coast.
He was working as a research assistant for MIT Professor Amar Bose in the field of electrical engineering, and he assumed after graduation he would head to one of the large aerospace companies out west. Instead, Bose convinced him to stay and help him build a company that would create a better way to listen to music as they shared a common disdain for the way classical music sounded on existing technology.
We were so fortunate to spend a few hours in a wide ranging conversation – covering the early days when Bose consisted of a few engineers assembling devices in a small commercial space in Natick. In fact, the very first products were all hand assembled by Greenblatt himself.
But with the introduction of the model 901, the company soon, achieved astronomical, growth, and changed the way home sound systems could be.
Greenblatt had a long and illustrious career with Bose, but has also had a fulfilling role helping new entrepreneurs coming out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology through its venture mentoring program, which he helped establish over 25 years ago.
Bill Seibel, pioneering Massachusetts tech entrepreneur
Bill’s story is a remarkable one—from growing up in the heart of steel country outside Pittsburgh, to a long career at the heart of the digital, e-commerce, and mobile tech revolutions. He came to the Greater Boston area to start his entrepreneurship journey just as the earliest of early adopters were getting online, and was able to build lasting solutions for systemic problems.
