James Odorczyk

James Michael Odorczyk is an American businessman, entrpreneur, and inventor. He is known for his work with the touchscreen, namely creating the screen used on the NASA space shuttle mission in 1993. Other business ventures include the invention of the Porta-Potty, BrightBoard, and his influence in the creation of the George Lopez Show. He has been the Founder and CEO of Inter-Ad, Nation Integration Services (NIS), and Door Six, Inc.

Early life

Odorczyk was born on July 3rd, 1957, in Rochester, New York, to Chester and Victoria Odorczyk. After graduating from Gates Chili H.S. [ [http://gates-chili-high.org/class-roster-1975 Class Roster 1975 | Gates Chili High School Alumni ] ] , Odorczyk went on to pursue a degree in Computer Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology. After receiving his B.S., [www.rit.edu/alum] Odorczyk worked for Kodak and Xerox before starting his first company.

Inter-Ad/NIS

Inter-Ad was a small company started by Odorczyk in 1985. The company originally manufactured several types of computer screens, before Odorczyk revolutionized the use of the touchscreen. New uses included touchscreen use on the personal computer, as well as for use in public information access, namely kiosks. By 1992, the business had expanded to a national level, and thus changed its name to National Integration Services, or NIS.

NIS was chosen by NASA to design a touchscreen for use on the Space Shuttle "Discovery". After the Discovery successfully completed an Advanced Communications Technology Satellite mission in September 1993, Odorczyk was given a United States Government Message of Thanks and Congratulations, awarded in person by President Bill Clinton.

Odorczyk sold NIS to Tyco Inc. in 1998.

Door Six, Inc.

Odorczyk next created Door Six, Inc. which manufactured and shipped a digital sign known as BrightBoard. [ [http://www.digitalsignage-usa.com/brightboard/index.php Brightboard Digital Signage Systems ] ] The name Door Six is a play on the pronunciation of "Odorczyk." While the company consisted only of Odorczyk and one other employee, they put on the illusion of a large corporation by transferring calls to each other constantly. Fact|date=March 2008 After starting the company from scratch [ [http://www.rnews.com/Story_2004.cfm?ID=43393&rnews_story_type=17&category=10 R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens ] ] , After three years. Odorczyk retired.

Porta-Potty

Odorczyk also invented the Porta-Potty. He sold the design to Portable Sanitation Association International [ [http://www.psai.org/ Portable Sanitation Association International | PSAI | Restroom | Toilet | Waste Management | Members ] ] for an estimated $100 million.

George Lopez Show

After meeting entertainer George Lopez on a business trip to Los Angeles, he collaborated with Lopez on his new television series, "The George Lopez Show." Lopez has said that Odorczyk's sense of humor contributed greatly to the content and writing of the show. Fact|date=March 2008

Hobbies

In summer 1998, Odorczyk joined Monroe Country Club [ [http://www.monroecountryclubny.com/ Monroe Country Club ] ] , in Pittsford, New York. Here he found both a way to occupy his increasing free time, and earn another $8 million. Odorczyk is said to have walked onto the grass in June 1998, and was a scratch golfer by August. In 1999 he won his first local championship, the Father Ed Zimmer Memorial Mercy Golf Tournament [ [http://www.mercyhs.com/givingopportunities.htm Our Lady of Mercy High School ] ] .

References