Oral history interview with John Imlay

Abstract

Imlay describes his parents and his childhood, his overcoming awkwardness as a child to become an outstanding public speaker, and his training in technology and management at Georgia Tech. Upon graduation, he worked at Royal McBee, where he sold their LP-30 computer and then sold computers for Honeywell for eight or nine years. One of his clients at Honeywell was a small Atlanta-based company named Management Science America (MSA). He took over MSA when it entered receivership. Considerable attention is given to his work in getting MSA out of bankruptcy and using bankruptcy as a strategic tool of business. He discusses the growth of MSA and how to manage that growth, and some of the business challenges that this presents, including hiring and retaining employees. Some of the other business issues discussed in the context of MSA was managing technology in a rapidly changing environment, doing business in an international marketplace, software piracy, relations to IBM, the role of the trade association ADAPSO, taking the company public, and competitors such as McCormack & Dodge. Other business issues include the acquisition by Dun and Bradstreet and staving off a hostile takeover by Computer Associates. The interview concludes with discussions of how to run the business and maintain a family life while traveling extensively, and what he has done in retirement.