April 08

Born in Vermont in 1811, Elisha Otis founded what became the Otis Elevator Company and unveiled his safety elevator brake at the 1853 New York World's Fair. His mechanism prevented elevators from falling if the hoisting cable broke, making tall buildings practical and safe. Otis's invention spurred the development of skyscrapers and transformed urban skylines worldwide. He built a thriving business supplying elevators to major structures and fairs. Today, his company remains a global leader, and his safety brake is celebrated as a pivotal innovation in engineering history.

Jack Tramiel (1928–2012) was a Polish-American entrepreneur who founded Commodore International. A Holocaust survivor, he emigrated to America and started in typewriters before revolutionizing computing. Under his leadership, Commodore released the PET and the Commodore 64, the best-selling home computer of all time. Tramiel’s aggressive business strategies and vision helped popularize personal computing worldwide. After selling Commodore, he acquired Atari and continued to influence the tech industry until his death.