William C. Norris Papers, 1946-1998. Finding Aid.

Summary Information

Title: William C. Norris papers
Dates: 1946-1988
Creator: Norris, William C., 1911-
Extent: 7 boxes (4.75 cubic feet)
Language: English
Collection Number: CBI 164
Abstract:

The collection documents William Norris' professional activities and interests, primarily in the years after his tenure as president of the Control Data Corporation (1986-1995). Materials consist of articles about and interviews with Norris, correspondence, Norris' talks and writings, and subject files.

Repository: University of Minnesota Libraries. Charles Babbage Institute.

Access and Use

Acquisition Information:

The records were given to the Charles Babbage Institute by William C. Norris in 2001.

Access Restrictions:

Access to the collection is unrestricted.

Copyright:

The Charles Babbage Institute holds the copyright to all materials in the collection, except for items covered by a prior copyright (such as published materials). Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provisions of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).

Preferred Citation:

William C. Norris Papers, (CBI 164), Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Arrangement

The materials in this collection are arranged into the following groups:

• Articles and Interviews
• Correspondence
• Talks and Writings
• Subject Files

Biographical Note

William C. Norris was born in 1911. He graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1932. He assumed management of the family farm upon the death of his father a few months later. From 1935 to 1941 he served as a sales engineer with the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company and worked in Omaha and Chicago. During World War II, Norris was commissioned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, where he was involved in the research and development of communications and computing equipment.

Following military service, Norris helped found Engineering Research Associates (ERA) in St. Paul, Minnesota. He served as a vice president and general manager for the firm from 1946-1955. In 1952, ERA became a subsidiary of the Remington Rand Corporation. Remington Rand merged with the Sperry Corporation to form the Sperry Rand Corporation in 1955. Norris served as vice president and general manager of the Univac division of Sperry Rand Corporation from 1956-1957.

In 1957, Norris helped establish Control Data Corporation (CDC) with several other former Sperry Rand Univac employees. He served as President and CEO of the company from 1957 until his retirement in 1986. Norris retained a position on the Board of Directors of CDC until 1991.

Collection Scope and Content Note

The William C. Norris papers document Norris' professional activities and interests, primarily in the years after his tenure as president of the Control Data Corporation (1986-1995). There are some materials in the papers dating before the formation of CDC (1946-1957), as well as a small amount of material of a personal nature, most notably personal correspondence. Materials consist of articles about and interviews with Norris, correspondence, Norris' talks and writings, and subject files. Subject files make up the bulk of the material and cover many topics of interest to Norris throughout his career, including corporate social responsibility, computer-based education, economic development and job creation, and U.S. trade and technology transfer with the Soviet Union and Japan.

Norris' professional activities were closely related to his work at CDC; researchers should use the Norris Papers in conjunction with the William C. Norris Executive Papers series (Series 9) in the Control Data Corporation Records (CBI 80). More information about Norris and his post-retirement activities and writings can be found in Albert Eisele’s papers as part of the Executive Papers series (Series 8) of the Control Data Corporation Records (CBI 80).

Related Material

CBI 80, Series 9, William C. Norris Executive Papers

CBI 80, Series 8, Executive Papers, (Albert Eisele)

Subject Terms

Index Terms

• This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
• Norris, William C., 1911-
• Control Data Corporation.
• Engineering Research Associates.
• Sperry Rand Corporation, Univac Division.
• Chief executive officers -- United States -- Biography.
• Computer-Assisted Instruction.
• Consolidation and merger of corporations -- United States -- Prevention.
• East-West trade.
• Technology transfer -- Government policy -- United States.
• United States -- Foreign economic relations -- Japan.
• United States -- Foreign economic relations -- Soviet Union.

Box and Folder List

Location		Title
		Articles and Interviews
		Articles about Norris
Box 5		1986-1988.  Box 5
		1989-1995.  Box 5
		Portrait of a Maverick, 1987.  Box 5
		Interviews
Box 5		1986-1995.  Box 5
		CDC Video, 1992.  Box 5
		DPMA Information Executive, 1989.  Box 5
		Ethical Leadership, 1979, 1986-1987.  Box 5
		Inc. Magazine, 1988.  Box 5
		Minneapolis Star Tribune, 1998.  Box 5
		Correspondence
Box 1		Business, 1986-1994.  Box 1
		Personal, 1959-1992.  Box 1
		Al Eisele, 1986-1988.  Box 1
		James C. Worthy, 1987-1988.  Box 1
		Talks and Writings
		Speeches
Box 6		1986-1988.  Box 6
		1989-1996.  Box 6
		"Private Business and Social Responsibility," Carroll College Conference, 4 April 1991.  Box 6
		Handicapped, 1988.  Box 6
		Outlines/Notes, 1986-1989.  Box 6
		Writings (Opinion/Editorial Articles)
Box 6		Hostile Takeovers, 1987.  Box 6
		Restructuring, 1987.  Box 6
		Supercomputing, 1989-1990.  Box 6
		"A Fifth-Year View of Technology," 1986.  Box 6
		Writings, 1986-1993.  Box 6
		Subject Files
		A.T. International
Box 1		1982.  Box 1
		1983-1984.  Box 1
		About, 1981-1984.  Box 1
		Board of Trustees Meetings, 1982.  Box 1
		Project Review and Advisory Committee (PRAC), 1984.  Box 1
		"Achievements", 1985, 1988-1990.  Box 1
		Advanced Integrated Manufacturing Service Center (AIMSC)
Box 1		1986-1989.  Box 1
		1987.  Box 1
		1988-1990.  Box 1
		Advanced Manufacturing, 1986-1987.  Box 1
		Advanced Manufacturing, The Pymatuning Group, 1986.  Box 1
		Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI), 1989-1991.  Box 1
		Agriculture, 1987-1989.  Box 1
		Alpha Center for Public/Private Initiatives, 1986-1987.  Box 1
Box 5		Awards, 1980-1983, 1985-1989, 1990.  Box 5
Box 1		Book Project, Deanna Nord, 1986-1989.  Box 1
		Business Ethics, 1987.  Box 1
		City Venture Corporation, 1987, 1990.  Box 1
		City Venture Corporation, Private Sector Initiatives, 1987.  Box 1
		Control Data Corporation, 1986-1991.  Box 1
		Control Data Corporation, Innovation Fund, 1986-1987.  Box 1
		CDC Stock Transactions, Norris and Family, 1957-1968.  Box 1
		Corporate Social Responsibility, 1987-1990.  Box 1
		Seymour Cray, 1985-1998.  Box 1 Note  Includes obituary from the New York Times .
Box 2		"Dr. Deming's Plan for Action for the Optimization of Service Organizations," 18-19 August 1992.  Box 2
Box 7		Earth Energy Systems, Inc. board meeting minutes, 30 September 1987.  Box 7
Box 2		Economic Development, 1987-1989.  Box 2
		Education, 1988, 1990-1991.  Box 2
		Control Data Business and Technology Centers, 1985-1986, 1989.  Box 2
		Engineering Education, 1989.  Box 2
		Engineering Research Centers, 1985, 1987-1989.  Box 2
		National School Board Association, 1987-1988.  Box 2
		Education, Tutorial, 1988-1989.  Box 2
		Computer-Based Education (CBE), 1986-1991, 1996.  Box 2
		Computer-Based Education, Articles, 1988-1989, 1995-1996.  Box 2
		Head Start, Child Development Program, 1990.  Box 2
		National Information and Education Utilities Corporation, 1987.  Box 2
		Technology-Based Engineering Education Consortium (TBEEC), 1988.  Box 2
Box 7		Engineering Research Associates.  Box 7
		Engineering Research Associates, Reunion and Employee Lists, 1974-1986.  Box 7
		Engineering Research Associates, Employment Contract, 16 July 1946.  Box 7
Box 2		Aaron J. Gellman, 1986, 1988-1989.  Box 2
		Richard Gephart, Meeting, 1990.  Box 2
Box 7		Glider Club, 1931.  Box 7
Box 2		Great Minnesota Corporation (GMS), 1988-1990.  Box 2
		Hostile Takeovers
Box 2		1985-1986.  Box 2
		1986-1987.  Box 2
		1987.  Box 2
		1988-1990.  Box 2
Box 7		Hunting Ledger, 1953-1957.  Box 7
Box 2		"Inner City," 1987-1988.  Box 2
		International Cooperation, 1984, 1987-1988.  Box 2
		Jacorgs Wind Electric Company, 1980-1982.  Box 2
		U.S.-Japan, Norris Speeches and Writings, 1986-1990.  Box 2
		Japan
Box 3		The Second Japan-U.S. Conference on High Technology and the International Environment, 9-11 November 1986.  Box 3
		The Second Japan-U.S. Conference on High Technology and the International Environment, Transcript, 9-11 November 1986 Box 3
		Fifth U.S.-Japan Science Policy Seminar, 21-24 May 1989.  Box 3
		U.S.-Japan, Testimony, 1987-1989.  Box 3
		U.S.-Japan Trade, Papers and Reports, 1986, 1991.  Box 3
		U.S.-Japan, Small Business Technology Transfers to Japan, 1988-1989.  Box 3
		U.S.-Japan, 1987-1989.  Box 3
		Japan, Technology Research/Education, 1986-1989.  Box 3
		Japan-U.S., Articles, 1987-1992.  Box 3
		Job Creation Networks, 1985-1987.  Box 3
		Manufacturing, 1986-1987.  Box 3
		Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC)
Box 3		1986-1988.  Box 3
		1988-1993.  Box 3
		1992-1994.  Box 3
		Issues Letter, 1986-1991.  Box 3
		Publications/Lit., 1988-1992.  Box 3
		Midwest Technology Development Institute (MTDI), 1985-1989, 1991.  Box 3
		MTDI, Advanced Ceramics and Composites Partnership, 1987.  Box 3
		Minnesota Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centers, 1989-1990.  Box 3
		Minnesota Family Farm Institute (MFFI), 1987.  Box 3
Box 7		Minnesota Innovation Fund, 1985-1987.  Box 7
		National Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1973.  Box 7
Box 3		National Prison Industries Task Force, 1991-1993.  Box 3
		William C. Norris Institute, 1985, 1987-1989, 1991-1991.  Box 3
		Norris Management Company, 1982-1984, 1986.  Box 3
Box 4		Norris Management Company, Citizens State Bank of Shakopee, 1976-1980.  Box 4
		Organization Affiliations, 1975, 1977-1981, 1985.  Box 4
		Otter Tractor Corporation, 1982-1986.  Box 4
		Minnesota Governor Perpich, Meetings,
Box 4		1987-1990.  Box 4
		1986-1988.  Box 4
Box 7		Postcard of Red Cloud, Nebraska.  Box 7
Box 4		Prison Programs, 1988-1989.  Box 4
		Prison Programs, Chief Justice Warren Burger, 1970-1989.  Box 4
		William Raspberry, 1983-1988.  Box 4
		Rosebud Sioux Tribe, 1986.  Box 4
		Rural Enterprise Partnership, Inc., 1987.  Box 4
		Arnold J. Ryden, 1985, 1987-1988.  Box 4
		Science and Technology, Reports, 1987, 1990.  Box 4
		Small Farms, 1986-1988.  Box 4
		Social Justice/Economics, Catholic Bishops Position On, 1986-1987.  Box 4
		Social Justice/Hostile Takeovers, 1987-1990.  Box 4
		Soviet Union
Box 4		1987.  Box 4
		1988-1989.  Box 4
		1990-1992.  Box 4
		Cooperation with U.S., Science/Trade, 1986-1988, 1990.  Box 4
		Gorbachev Visit, 1990-1991.  Box 4
		Moscow Institute of Electronic Engineering, 1991.  Box 4
		Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 1991.  Box 4
		Reports and Papers, 1986-1988.  Box 4
		Soviet Union and Education, 1973-1974, 1988-1990.  Box 4
		Control Data Corporation, 1987.  Box 4
		Trips, 1988-1991.  Box 4
		Soviet Union, U.S. Joint Ventures, 1987-1991.  Box 4
		Soviet Union Academy of Science, 1988-1989.  Box 4
		Soviet Union/Norris Institute Joint Venture (SAMAN), 1988-1989.  Box 4
Box 7		Sperry Rand Univac Division Research Laboratory Groundbreaking, circa 1956.  Box 7 Note Photographs
Box 4		Sperry-Univac History, 1978-1980.  Box 4
Box 7		Sperry Rand Univac memos, 1956-1957.  Box 7
Box 4		Technology Legislation, 1985-1986.  Box 4
		Technology Transfer, 1985-1986, 1990.  Box 4
		Technotec, 1987.  Box 4
		Travel, 1975.  Box 4
		Trip to London, 1988.  Box 4
		U.S. Presidential Inauguration Activities, 1985.  Box 4
Box 7		University-Industry Partnership, 1987.  Box 7
Box 4		Wellspring, 1986-1992.  Box 4
Box 7		Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, Recommendation Letters to U.S. Navy, 1941.  Box 7