How Evelyn Berezin Taught Us Innovation is a Mindset
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Med-Lab
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Inventor. Physicist. Computer scientist. Evelyn Berezin was a trailblazer for the technological landscape. Her revolutionary invention of the word processor in 1971 left a lasting imprint on the modern world, but this was not her only contribution.
After graduating from NYU with a degree in physics – at that time, a male-dominated field – Berezin joined Teleregister Corp. As the head of logic design, she was integral to the development of the Instamatic reservation system for United Airlines. Instamatic was the first computerized airline reservation system and connected over 60 cities across the U.S.
In 1965, fresh off this major success for the airline industry, Berezin left Teleregister and founded Redactron Corporation, the first company to manufacture and sell computerized word processors.
As a technological pioneer, her invention of the word processor revolutionized the computer industry. The machine itself used 13 semiconductor chips, which was uncommon for computers at the time. She even nicknamed it “The Data Secretary,” as its cut, delete and paste functions allowed secretarial work to be digitized. Redactron advertised her machine as the “Death of the Dead-End Secretary.”
"There would be no Bill Gates, no Steve Jobs, no internet, no word processors, no spreadsheets,” says historian Gwyn Headley. “Nothing that remotely connects business to the twenty-first century without Ms. Berezin .”
Berezin was an influential force in the lives of many and her innovative spirit to create is an excellent example of how we can positively impact our surroundings. She wanted to push engineering to create a better user experience so that everyone could learn and excel in their pursuits using revolutionary technology.
At Med-Lab, we celebrate different ideas that inspire an innovative mindset for all of our team. We've seen how the passion of our engineers and employees, as well as the relationships we've built with our customers, have transformed the healthcare field in South Florida, and we are honored to share Evelyn Berezin’s sense of drive and commitment to excellence.
