Philadelphia 2022

A combination air trip and road trip, our journey is described in our category of "Road Trips"

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Philadelphia 1968?

It took a long time to finally write about my first experience in Philadelphia. The event was sometime in the late-1960”s. I wrote this in 2016 so my recollections might be that of an aging old man.

I was there only for a short time, but what a time it was. As well as seeing the Liberty Bell and the incredible architecture that is Philadelphia, I was there to participate in IBM’s annual convention that year. I was somewhat new to my profession as a systems analyst but was growing rapidly and increasingly gaining attention for my work. I had recently left my job at Minneapolis’s most prominent Department Store and was hired as a Systems Engineer by NCR Corporation.

Although a competitor to NCR, IBM was a place to get ideas and meet important people. There too, came the CEO of NCR from Dayton Ohio. He invited a couple other People and me to dinner one evening. As honored, as I was to be included, I was only in my late 20’s and did not have a clue how to conduct myself in such company. I had nothing to worry about. The CEO, whose name I forget, asked if he could order for us. Looking at the menu I was more than pleased to not have to make that decision myself. He ordered a stuffed lobster, separately ordering a potato and vegetable, we had drinks and – my dinner alone came to about $120. Now – that was in the late 1960’s when I was used to going out and having a $3 meal. This is why I remember that particular event more than anything about any seminars or activities I experienced during that time. After a few drinks, I suspect this man got his moneys worth of information he wanted from each of us. I wish I remembered what I said, but I was employed for another 10 years at NCR so it couldn’t have been too bad.