David Sarnoff, 1891 - 1971

David Sarnoff (A'12-M'14-F'17) born in Uzlian, Russia, on February 27, 1891 and brought to the United States at the age of nine.

As shipboard wireless operator and ashore with the powerful Wanamaker station, he became successively Chief Inspector, Asst. Chief Engineer, Asst. Traffic Manager and, in 1917, Commercial Manager of the Marconi Co.

In 1919, when the Radio Corporation of America was formed, it acquired the American Marconi Co., and appointed him Commercial Manager. He advanced from Commercial Manager to General Manager, then Vice President, Executive Vice President and, in 1930, to President of RCA.

Mr. Sarnoff was elected to serve as Chairman of the Board as well as President in 1947, and in 1949 he resigned as President, continuing as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of RCA, the position he holds today.

A Reserve Officer of the U. S. Army since 1924, he served in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer in Washington in 1941, and in 1944, as Special Consultant on Communications at SHAEF. During this period he was promoted to Brigadier General and received the War Department's Legion of Merit Medal.

Mr. Sarnoff is recipient of numerous awards including the Medal of Merit from President Truman. He was first recipient of the "One World Prize" awarded by the American Nobel Center in 1945. In 1944 the Television Broadcasters Association conferred on him the title of "The Father of American Television." In 1949, the United Nations presented him a citation for "his contribution in the field of Human Rights," and on his 45th anniversary in radio in 1951, the Princeton, N. J., laboratories of RCA were dedicated as the "David Sarnoff Research Center."

In June, 1952, the Radio-Television Manufacturers Association awarded him its Medal of Honor. In March, 1953, he received the Founders Award of the IRE, and in April, the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters presented him with its first Keynote Award. (Editor?s Note: Mr. Sarnoff passed away on December 12, 1971.)

The IRE Founders Medal citation reads: "For outstanding contributions to the radio engineering profession through wise and courageous leadership in the planning and administration of technical developments which have greatly increased the impact of electronics on the public welfare."

From the Proceedings of the IRE, July 1953

For more detailed biographical information visit the David Sarnoff Library