Today I am joined by Paul V. McEnroe, Developer of the Barcode, Award-Winning Engineer, Distinguished Scholar, and IBM Mogul Celebrates the 50-Year Anniversary of His Team’s Most Famous Creation.
Paul V. McEnroe is an award-winning engineer who achieved remarkable feats during his 23-year tenure at IBM.
He spearheaded the pioneering development of the Universal Product Code (UPC), also known as the barcode, marking a groundbreaking commercial application of laser technology, barcode scanning, and magnetic Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) coding.
He chronicled his contributions to this transformative technology in his book, “THE BARCODE: How a Team Created One of the World’s Most Ubiquitous Technologies,” published by Silicon Valley Press in Fall 2023.
During his role as a group director at IBM, Paul further refined supermarket connectivity technology, evolving it into the Token Ring Local Area Network IEEE 805.2, connecting numerous computer systems worldwide. As Director of IBM’s Raleigh Laboratory, he efficiently managed a vast team of engineers dedicated to the development of communication hardware and software.
Paul also made significant strides at Trilogy Systems Corporation, where he pioneered multi-chip module technology and successfully led the company through a merger with Digital Equipment Corporation.
Paul earned advanced engineering degrees from Purdue University and Stanford University, along with the honorary title of Doctor of Science, awarded by the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, recognizing his technological achievements and community contributions.
Paul was named the University of Dayton’s Most Distinguished Alumnus in 1999 and received prestigious awards from Purdue University. Paul also received the IBM President’s Award for the Development of the Supermarket System.
Today, more than three decades into his retirement, Paul dedicates his time to ranching in the Santa Ynez Valley while actively supporting the Central Coast community as an advisor. His commitment extends to various non-profit organizations, including the Santa Barbara County Cattlemen’s Association, the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, the Western Commercial Space Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, and the Cal Poly President’s Council of Advisors.
In 2011, Paul and his wife founded The McEnroe Reading & Language Arts Clinic at the University of California Santa Barbara, further solidifying their dedication to educational advancement and community betterment.
Book Scott Today
Book Scott to keynote at your next event!
Managing Partner at Astor Perkins, TEDx, Top Global Innovation Keynote Speaker, Forbes, Singularity University, SXSW, IBM Futurist, Tribeca Disruptor Foundation Fellow, National Sloan Fellow, Wiley Author, TechCrunch, Winner of Innovation Awards.
