Michael S. Tomczyk is best known for his role in guiding the development and launch of the first microcomputer to sell one million units, as Product Manager of the VIC-20 from Commodore. His contributions are described in detail in his 1984 book, THE HOME COMPUTER WARS: An Insider's True Account of Commodore and Jack Tramiel. His role is also documented extensively in numerous interviews and articles. The VIC-20 was the first affordable, full-featured color computer and the first home computer to be sold in KMart and other mass market outlets. Michael joined Commodore in April 1980 as Assistant to the President (Commodore Founder Jack Tramiel who appointed him VIC-20 Product Manager). He has been called the "marketing father" of the home computer. Michael was also a pioneer in telecomputing, as co-designer of the Commodore VICModem, which he conceived and contracted while at Commodore. The VICModem was the first modem priced under $100 and the first modem to sell one million units.
Michael is also an authority on nanotechnology. He is the author of the 2016 book, NANOINNOVATION: What Every Manager Needs to Know (Wiley, 2016) and in 2016 he served on the NNI Review Committee (National Academy of Sciences) which reviewed the billion-dollar US National Nanotechnology Initiative, to recommend changes and improvements to this initiative. He has also written book chapters and articles on the future of biosciences, gene therapy and medical innovations.
During his career, he has studied and developed best practices and strategies for managing radical/disruptive innovations, as a product manager/technology developer, senior business executive, consultant and academic program manager. For 18 years (1995-2014) he provided managerial leadership in the study of best practices and strategies for managing innovation at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; where he served as Managing Director of the Emerging Technologies Management Research Program (1994-2001), Mack Center for Technological Innovation (2001-2013) and Mack Institute for Innovation Management (2013-2014). He retired from the University of Pennsylvania in 2014 and served as Innovator in Residence in the ICE Center at Villanova University (2014-2017) where he hosted an annual event called the Innovation Update Day.
Michael continues to be an innovation leader. He is currently Senior Advisor to FAMA Financial Holdings, a FinTech venture focused on developing mobile money platforms and applications. In Fall 2021 he became a founding director of a Fintech Ecosystem Development Corporation, a developer of global mobile payment services and digital banking innovations.
He is co-moderator of the Commodore International Historical Society site on Facebook and is on the science advisory board at VIGAMUS in Rome.
Education
He holds an MBA. from UCLA and a BA from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, where he received a Distinguished Alumni Award. He earned a master's degree in environmental studies from the University of Pennsylvania in May 2010.
Military service
Michael Tomczyk served three years in the U.S. Army (1970-73 - highest rank Captain), working for military commands including the XVIII Airborne Corps (Ft. Bragg), 1st Signal Brigade (Vietnam) and USASTRATCOM/United Nations Command (Korea). As Public Information Officer at Fort Bragg, he helped launch the Volunteer Army (VOLAR) which was being piloted in 1970. He experienced combat and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service in Vietnam (1971–72). He received the Army Commendation Medal for service in Korea (1973). He served in the Army Reserve after active duty.
Commodore Business Machines
In early 1980, Tomczyk joined Commodore as Marketing Strategist and Assistant to the President (Commodore founder Jack Tramiel). When Tramiel announced that he wanted to develop a low cost affordable home computer "for the masses, not the classes," Tomczyk embraced the concept and aggressively championed the new computer. The concept for the new computer was born at a Commodore management conference at the Fox and Hounds estate outside London, England, the first week in April 1980. Despite his status as the newest member of the management team, Tomczyk vigorously championed the home computer and on his return to Santa Clara, California, he wrote a 30-page single spaced memo to Tramiel, detailing specifications, pricing, features and design innovations that he thought should be included. Tramiel was impressed and put Tomczyk in charge of guiding the development and market development of the new computer.
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