Thomas McGourty

Prior to joining Commodore

Thomas McGourty was a World War II veteran who has the distinction of having been the youngest Master Sergeant in WWII. He was in charge of the motor pool in the US 8th Army air corps.

After leaving the military in (XXXX year), he founded an adding machine dealership on Long Island in New York City. It was during this time that McGourty initially met Jack Tramiel, the co-founder of Commodore. Mr. McGourty was naturally mechanically inclined and had the ability to fix the early Barrett adding machines, which was a skill that caught Jack Tramiel's attention.

In (XXXX year) he accepted an offer to manage the manufacturing operations of the General-Gilbert Corporation, a clock manufacturing company in Winsted, Connecticut and moved his family from New York to Connecticut.

Time with Commodore

Shannon, Ireland, 1963

In 1963 Mr. McGourty began working for Commodore at the Commodore Industries, Ltd plant in Shannon, Ireland as the President and General Manager. Mr. McGourty's wife and children moved to Ireland in February, 1964 to join him<ref>The Hartford Courant(Hartford, Connecticut) Sun, Jan 12, 1964 · Page 12</ref>. The Commodore Industries plant in Ireland assembled and manufactured adding machines, primarily for the Commonwealth Market<ref>Commodore Business Machines (Canada) Ltd annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1964</ref>.

West Germany, 1965

In May 1965, McGourty was promoted to the role of Vice-President, Manufacturing for Commodore Business Machines (Canada), Ltd and was listed as an officer of the company. It was around this time that McGourty's manufacturing expertise was needed at the Willy Feiler Zahl-Und Rechenwerke GMBH plant in West Germany. McGourty and his family moved from Ireland to West Germany.

United States, Norfolk Connecticut, 1966 - 1967

When Commodore sold the Willy Feiler plant in 1966, McGourty and his family moved back to Norfolk, Connecticut. With Commodore no longer having the means to manufacture their own adding machines, finding an OEM supplier was paramount. It was during this year that Commodore and Ricoh came to an OEM agreement and the model 201 adding machine was released to market.

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Commodore model 201 adding machine

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Commodore model 202 adding machine

The model 201 was sold as both a Ricoh product and a Commodore product with the only difference being the branding badge. The model 202 was an exclusive Commodore product also manufactured by Ricoh in Japan, with the case having been designed by Thomas McGourty; a design for which he was awarded US Design Patent 212,979 on December 17, 1968.

United States, Aptos California, 1967

Because of the close OEM relationship Commodore developed with Ricoh in Japan, Thomas McGourty's business trips to Japan became increasingly frequent. In 1967, the McGourty family moved to Aptos, California such that the frequent travel to Japan would be less onerous. Commodore announced in their 1968 annual report to shareholders that "Commodore's research and development division, previously located in Norfolk, Connecticut, was moved to a new location in Aptos, California." Commodore's entire R&D department at the time was Thomas McGourty. A parcel of land on Cox Road in Aptos California served as both the personal residence of the McGourty family and Commodore's R&D department.

Time Research and Development Corporation, 1969

In January, 1969 Commodore and Ricoh formed a new company named Time Research and Development Corporation as a joint venture to manage all research and development for Commodore. This joint venture occupied the existing facilities on Cox Road in Aptos California, which resulted in several Ricoh engineers from Japan moving to the Aptos location including some who brought their families with them. Commodore's total investment was $108,000 for a 50% equity share in the new company.

Commodore Educational Systems Ltd, 1971

Commodore Educational Systems Ltd was formed as a Bahamian corporation to develop, manufacture and sell educational devices and materials. Initial development costs for this entity were $41,490.