Summary
Elmer H. Wavering (April 22, 1907 – November 20, 1998) was an American automotive engineer and president of Motorola. He is known as the father of modern automotive electronics.[1][2]
Elmer H. Wavering | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 22, 1907 Quincy, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | November 20, 1998 (aged 91) Naples, Florida, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupations |
|
| Spouse |
Vera Deremiah
(m. 1935; died 1988) |
| Children | 1 |
Early life edit
Elmer H. Wavering was born in Quincy, Illinois, on April 22, 1907.[3][4][5][6] At the age of 14, he had already created his first radio.[2] In high school, he worked at Quincy Radio Laboratory, a radio parts store, run by Bill Lear.[4][5]
He attended George Washington University, but did not graduate. In 1928, he returned to Quincy to open Waverite Radio Shop.[4][5]
Career edit
Motorola edit
Inspired by a conversation with their girlfriends on an evening drive, Waverly and Lear worked on a car radio prototype.[4] They met Paul Galvin at a radio convention in Chicago and in 1930, Wavering and Lear joined Galvin at Galvin Manufacturing (later Motorola). There, Wavering and Lear together developed the first commercially successful car radio calling it the Motorola.[4][5] Wavering and Galvin traveled around the country selling radios and teaching new dealers how to install them.[7] In 1932, Paul Galvin selected Wavering to lead Motorola's car radio and police two-way communications businesses. He was later promoted to vice president of the automotive products division.[5] In the 1940s, he also worked on developing the intermittent windshield wiper.[4] In 1944, he became the vice president of auto products.[4]
He invented the first automotive alternator and mass-produced it at Motorola.[2][4][8] In the 1950s, Wavering presented a concept car that included an alternator, a 12-volt battery, electronic ignition, and computerized control.[2][5] In 1964, he was elected president and chief operating officer of Motorola.[5] He later became vice chairman.[4] He remained at Motorola until he retired in 1972.[5]
World War II edit
During World War II, Wavering led a national effort to produce artificial quartz out of silica sand for use in radio and radar.[4][5] He also co-invented the Handie Talkie (later the Walkie-Talkie), a mobile two-way radio communication device.[4]
Later career edit
Wavering worked with Lear in the development of the 8-track tape cartridge player.[4] He worked to help the first industry standards for videocassettes and discs.[4]
Wavering led the effort to produce radios for NASA's Lunar rover in the Apollo missions.[2][4]
Personal life edit
Wavering met Vera Deremiah, a teacher from St. Louis, Missouri, on a sales trip and they married on June 25, 1935.[4][9][10] His wife died in 1988.[11] Together, they had one daughter, Lynne, in 1942.[4][5]
Death edit
Wavering died on November 20, 1998, in Naples, Florida, at the age of 91.[5]
Awards and legacy edit
- War Production "E" Award, for his role in leading efforts to produce artificial quartz during World War II.[3][4]
- 1970 – a park in Quincy, Illinois was dedicated in his honor.[4][5]
- 1977 - received honorary degree in technology and communications from the Quincy University
- 1984 - received honorary degree from the Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa[12]
- 1989 – inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame[1][5]
- 1991 - received the State of Illinois's Order of Lincoln from The Lincoln Academy of Illinois by Governor Jim Edgar
References edit
- ^ a b "Elmer H. Wavering". Automotive Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Reive, Steven (January 11, 2014). "Elmer H. Wavering". The Fresno Bee. p. D3. Retrieved April 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Oakley, Hal (January 12, 2014). "Quincy native father of modern automotive electronics". hsqac.org. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Oakley, Hal (October 30, 2020). "Quincy native father of modern automotive electronics". Herald Whig. Quincy, IL. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Jackson, Bechetta (November 22, 1998). "Elmer H. Wavering, 91, a pioneer in electronics". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Former president of Motorola dead at 91". Southern Illinoisan. November 21, 1998. Retrieved April 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1930: The First Motorola Brand Car Radio". Motorola Solutions. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ "Elmer H. Wavering; Developed Car Radio". Los Angeles Times. November 28, 1998. p. A36. Retrieved April 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wavering-Deremiah". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. June 30, 1935. Retrieved April 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wavering". The Chicago Tribune. November 21, 1998. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ "Wavering". The Chicago Tribune. May 22, 1988. pp. 2–7. Retrieved April 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wartburg backer donates $1 million". The Des Moines Register. October 18, 1989. p. 16T. Retrieved April 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
