Sprague Electric
| Robert C. Sprague | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
Sprague in 1952
|
|
| Born |
August 2, 1900 New York City, New York |
| Died | September 27, 1991 (aged 91) Williamstown, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Engineer and businessman |
| Known for | Manufacture and development of electronic components. Best known for the wide selection and reliability of its capacitor products |
Robert C. Sprague (August 2, 1900 – September 27, 1991) was the son of Frank J. Sprague and Harriet Sprague. Sprague founded Sprague Electric (originally Sprague Specialties Company), Quincy, MA in 1926, and served as president from 1926-1953 and chief executive from 1953-1971. He invented the tone control for radio and the paper capacitor that launched his business.
Sprague was appointed by President Eisenhower to serve as Undersecretary to the Air Force in 1953. He first accepted, then declined the position, due to financial difficulties.
Sprague Electric was an electronic component maker and was best known for making a large line of capacitors (electron storage device) used in a wide variety of electrical and electronic in commercial, industrial and military/space applications. Other products include resistive components, magnetic components (transformers and coils), filter assemblies, semiconductors and integrated circuits. Sprague had two brothers, Frank Desmond, and Julian Sprague, who assisted in company operations. Sprague capacitor products were bought and absorbed by Vishay in early 1993.
After graduating from The Hotchkiss School in 1918, Robert Sprague followed his father Frank's (a business associate to Thomas Alva Edison) footsteps, and went to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. He later attended the Naval Post Graduate School and completed his graduate program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). While a naval officer he invented the tone control for amplifiers and radio sets. In 1921 he married Florence Antoinette van Zelm. They were married until her death in 1987. Sprague patented the paper condenser (capacitor) and tone control in 1926, and this provided the capital to start a business.
...
Wikipedia