Skip to content

Control Data Corporation

McGill building in downtown Minneapolis where Control Data started.

Control Data nameplate from a CDC 6600 computer. Circa 1969

Control Data Corporation original eight-page prospectus raising $600,000 in 1957

CDC Corporate plan 1967-1974

Business Week front cover

CDC – the Norris era

CDC inner city plants strategy

Business Week – Why Bill Norris is smiling

Corporate report Executive of the year

Corporate report front-page article 2

CDC Corporate Chronology by Babbage Institute

Control Data History

CDC New Yorker cartoon

Control Data Spinoffs/CDC Technology

CDC in the news – bringing jobs to the inner city

World of work report – The corporation and society – CDC

CDC comes through again

Control Data puts profits in philanthropy

Article on Bill Norris’ strategies

Control Data and Innovation

https://www.startribune.com/control-data-and-a-lesson-in-the-history-of-innovation/432352053/

Star Tribune Nov 1955 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-12-58.pdf

Bill Norris Univac resignation announcement – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-12-59.pdf

Star Tribune New research firm announced 1957 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-09.pdf

Sperry Rand cease and desist letter to CDC 1957 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-09-1.pdf

CDC response to Sperry Rand 1957 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-10.pdf

Electronic news 1957 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-13.pdf

Star Tribune 1957 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-13-1.pdf

Bill Norris and engineer picture late 50s – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-15.pdf

Bill Norris picture late 50s – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-17.pdf

CDC acquires Cedar Engineering 1957 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-18.pdf

CDC shows phenomenal growth – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-27-1.pdf

Control Data picks a president 1957 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-38.pdf

Navy gives contract to firm it had called unknown 1957 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-41.pdf

CDC advertising new pricing – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-43.pdf

Sperry vs Control Data 1957 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-43-1.pdf

Control Data to build in Roseville 1960 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-44.pdf

Computers for weather forecasting 1961 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-45.pdf

Letter from Minnesota Gov. Elmer Anderson 1961 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-45-1.pdf

Control Data project planned for Bloomington and Edina 1961 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-46.pdf

New satellite computer system 1961 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-46-1.pdf

CDC into the big leagues of computers 1961 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-47.pdf

CDC reports revenues up 44% 1963 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-51.pdf

Control Data seeks listing on the New York Stock Exchange 1962 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-51-1.pdf

CDC to buy Bendix Corporation – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-51-2.pdf

CDC stock rise spotlights computer business growth 1963 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-53.pdf

Computer orders won by outsider 1963 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-53-1.pdf

Control Data stock continues to soar NY Times 1963 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-54.pdf

Computers get faster than ever – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-54-1.pdf

Man behind the news – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-54-2.pdf

Electronic News 1963 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-55.pdf

Control Data stock soars 1963 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-55-1.pdf

New York Post and Wall Street Journal articles 1963 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-55-2.pdf

Nebraskans success story – Omaha World Herald 1963 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-57.pdf

Control Data takes on the giants 1963 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-13-59.pdf

Forbes Magazine – Control Data: Big success, big gamble – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-00.pdf

Big gain seen at CDC 1964 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-01.pdf

Control Data keeps growing 1964 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-01-1.pdf

Computer Institute planned 1965 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-02.pdf

Lease plan will aid profits 1966 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-03.pdf

Control Data’s computer school 1965 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-03-1.pdf

More companies leave the computer market 1965 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-04.pdf

Letter from Minnesota Gov. Karl Rolvaag 1965 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-04-1.pdf

Forbes Magazine – Is Control Data in trouble? 1965 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-05.pdf

#2 Man quits CDC 1966 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-06.pdf

When a whiz kid grows up 1966 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-07.pdf

Control Data regroups – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-08.pdf

Control Data rebound shown in stock leap 1967 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-09.pdf

Control Data and the North Side 1967 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-10.pdf

Sweetest stocks of 1967 – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-03-02-14-10-1.pdf

PLATO – How an educational system from the 60’s shaped the future – https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/03/plato-how-an-educational-computer-system-from-the-60s-shaped-the-future/

Photo of Bill Norris with “Up the organization” pose – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-19-11-30.pdf

Announcement of Seymour Cray leaving CDC – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-11-08.pdf

Jim Thornton announced as SVP of computer development following Cray’s departure – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-11-07-1.pdf

Jim Thornton memo re visit to Cray Chip Falls facility following Cray resignation – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-11-07.pdf

Seymour Cray letter to Bill Norris about progress transitioning away from CDC – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-11-06.pdf

Seymour Cray memo to Bill Norris he entitles “emotional problems” – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-11-01-1.pdf

Article on the undisclosed plans for Cray’s new company following Cray Computer failure – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-11-01.pdf

News release of Cray’s departure from CDC – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-11-00.pdf

Memo from Cray to Norris regarding separation thoughts – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-53.pdf

Memo from Norb Berg to Bill Norris covering a meeting with Seymour Cray – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-51-1.pdf

Notes from Norb Berg telephone conversation with Seymour Cray regarding separation – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-51.pdf

Letter from Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich to Bill Norris – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-37.pdf

Letter from Senator Mathias to Bill Norris – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-36.pdf

Letter from University of Minnesota nominating Bill Norris for Business College Dean – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-34.pdf

Letter from Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-33-1.pdf

Letter from John Kenneth Galbraith – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-33.pdf

Letter from Thomas Monson, President of the Church of Latter Day Saints – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-32.pdf

Letter from Vice President of United States Walter Mondale – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-31.pdf

Letter from Bill Norris to the Editor of Fortune Magazine – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-23.pdf

Memo from Norb Berg to Bill Norris regarding Business Week article – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-21.pdf

Letter from Archbishop John Roach to Bill Norris – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-19.pdf

Letter from U of Minnesota President C. Peter Mcgrath regarding computer-based education – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-18-1.pdf

Letter from Senator Edward Kennedy to Bill Norris – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-20-10-18.pdf

Letter offering shares of Control Data – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-07-26-11-23-1-1.pdf

Early marketing letter to the government offering computer services – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-07-26-11-18.pdf

Letter to Don McNeely re assistance on California account – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-07-26-11-10.pdf

Memo in 1957 regarding new expenditures – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-07-26-11-17.pdf

Marketing letter in 1957 to Army General – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-07-26-11-24.pdf

Marketing letter 1957 to the White House re computer service – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-07-26-11-19.pdf

Letter to Bob Leach in 1957 welcoming him to the board of directors – https://norrisinnovationcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-07-26-11-23.pdf

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *