Eugene F. McDonald
Encyclopedia
Eugene F. McDonald founded Zenith Radio in 1921, a major American radio and electronics concern.
He was born in 1886 in Syracuse
, New York
. His father was variously remembered as a storekeeper and insurance salesman. McDonald dropped out of high school at age 14 to help support the family.
In 1904, he began working for the Franklin Auto Company
in Syracuse. He quickly rose in the sales and promotion areas and made a name for himself in that endeavour. In 1910, he moved to Chicago
to join a speculative business of a friend of his who wished to manufacture an automobile self starter. The business did not succeed and McDonald lost his investment.
In 1911, he was in partnership
in Detroit selling used
cars, and by the end of 1912 had begun a credit
finance company for the purchase of new and used cars - one commodity that had previously not been available on credit.
He served in the US Navy from 1917 to 1919 with the rank of Lieutenant-Commander. His commission came about as he understood the operation a device used in the Navy for recording radio and telephone conversations - the 'telegraphone' - and the manufacturer was no longer in business.
He became interested in the radio business in 1920 upon learning that there was money to be made in it. However, it was necessary to hold a manufacturing license from Edwin Armstrong
- and issuance of these had been suspended indefinitely. However, in 1921 he entered into a partnership with the founders of the Chicago Radio Laboratory, Karl Hassel and Ralph Mathews. Under the tradename "Z-nith", this company held a valuable Armstrong license but lacked funds for expansion to meet the demands of their order book.
McDonald was appointed General Manager and the partnership was formally incorporated in 1923 as the Zenith Radio Corporation. By 1927, the company was large enough to secure its own RCA
manufacturing license.
McDonald was well-known for his charismatic leadership style, but his unexpected death in 1958 left "a void of talent at the top" of the company.
He was born in 1886 in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. His father was variously remembered as a storekeeper and insurance salesman. McDonald dropped out of high school at age 14 to help support the family.
In 1904, he began working for the Franklin Auto Company
Franklin (automobile)
The Franklin Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in the United States between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York. Herbert H. Franklin, the founder, began his career in the metal die casting business before establishing his automobile enterprise.Franklin founded the H. H. Franklin...
in Syracuse. He quickly rose in the sales and promotion areas and made a name for himself in that endeavour. In 1910, he moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to join a speculative business of a friend of his who wished to manufacture an automobile self starter. The business did not succeed and McDonald lost his investment.
In 1911, he was in partnership
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
in Detroit selling used
Used
Used may refer to:*Used good, goods of any type that have been used before*Used , a village in Huesca, Aragon, Spain*Used , a town in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain...
cars, and by the end of 1912 had begun a credit
Credit (finance)
Credit is the trust which allows one party to provide resources to another party where that second party does not reimburse the first party immediately , but instead arranges either to repay or return those resources at a later date. The resources provided may be financial Credit is the trust...
finance company for the purchase of new and used cars - one commodity that had previously not been available on credit.
He served in the US Navy from 1917 to 1919 with the rank of Lieutenant-Commander. His commission came about as he understood the operation a device used in the Navy for recording radio and telephone conversations - the 'telegraphone' - and the manufacturer was no longer in business.
He became interested in the radio business in 1920 upon learning that there was money to be made in it. However, it was necessary to hold a manufacturing license from Edwin Armstrong
Edwin Armstrong
Edwin Howard Armstrong was an American electrical engineer and inventor. Armstrong was the inventor of modern frequency modulation radio....
- and issuance of these had been suspended indefinitely. However, in 1921 he entered into a partnership with the founders of the Chicago Radio Laboratory, Karl Hassel and Ralph Mathews. Under the tradename "Z-nith", this company held a valuable Armstrong license but lacked funds for expansion to meet the demands of their order book.
McDonald was appointed General Manager and the partnership was formally incorporated in 1923 as the Zenith Radio Corporation. By 1927, the company was large enough to secure its own RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
manufacturing license.
McDonald was well-known for his charismatic leadership style, but his unexpected death in 1958 left "a void of talent at the top" of the company.