Scientific Atlanta - History

History

In late 1952, Glen P. Robinson and several other Georgia Tech Research Institute researchers, including station director Gerald Rosselot and future station director James E. Boyd pooled funds of approximately $100 each, and started Scientific Atlanta to produce technology developed at the research station.

Sidney Topol served as its president from 1971-83, CEO from 1975-87, and chairman of the board from 1978-90. During his tenure, the company grew in sales from $16 million to more than $600 million. In addition, the company developed the concept of cable/satellite connection, which, in working with HBO and transportable earth stations developed by TelePrompTer Corporation and manufactured by Scientific-Atlanta, established satellite-delivered television for the cable industry.

On November 18, 2005, Scientific Atlanta announced that it would be purchased by Cisco Systems in a US$6.9 billion cash deal. On February 25, 2006, Cisco Systems announced that it had completed acquisition of Scientific Atlanta in a cash deal that paid $43 per share. The total cash value of the deal was roughly US$7 billion, or US$5.1 billion net of Scientific Atlanta's cash balance, and also about US$5.1 billion over their 2005 shareholders' equity. In its fiscal year 2005, Scientific Atlanta earned $1.36 per common share (diluted).

The company was honored at the 2008 Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for development of interactive Video-on-Demand infrastructure and signaling, leading to large scale VOD implementations.

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