Robert Emanuel Howard

Industry Insight We Remember Robert Howard By Frank Romano Published: January 12, 2015 Robert Howard, the genius behind the dot matrix printer and the direct imaging press, among many other technologies, passed over the holidays. He was 91. Chairman Bob, as he was called, was surrounded by his wife Kit and family. The Manchester (NH) Union Leader devoted almost an entire front page to the man who invented the dot matrix printer. Howard worked with An Wang, the founder of Wang Laboratories, to develop an anti-skimming computer system for casino chips. That led Howard to invent the dot-matrix printer. He founded Centronics Data Computer Corp.—which commercialized the printer—with seven employees in Hudson, NH in 1968. He grew the company to more than 6,000 workers worldwide, including 3,000 in New Hampshire. Howard founded Presstek around 1989 and introduced the first DI press in 1991. Heidelberg was a major distribution channel for the unique press. I saw the development of the Presstek from before it was a prototype until it became a real product. Today, thousands of printers around the world make money with DI technology. That happened because Bob Howard had a vision of the future of print. Bob was an engineer who looked for ways to solve problems. And then built businesses as a result. Howard, whose net worth would grow into the hundreds of millions, donated more than $100 million to various charities. Howard’s autobiography is a fascinating story of a Brooklyn kid who leveraged new technologies to create 27 public companies. The book is available on amazon.com: “Connecting the Dots: My Life and Inventions, From X-rays to Death Rays” by Robert Howard (2009). Bob took the lowly dot and built it into multi-million dollar businesses. Presstek first used a zap of electrical energy to create a spot on a plate. Later it became a laser burst and set the stage for Computer To Plate. Howtek pioneered color printers. He also was a pioneer in cable television. We will miss you, Chairman Bob. Share Email Print Order Reprints Frank Romano has spent over 50 years in the printing and publishing industries. Many know him best as the editor of the International Paper Pocket Pal or from the hundreds of articles he has written for publications from North America and Europe to the Middle East to Asia and Australia. Romano lectures extensively, having addressed virtually every club, association, group, and professional organization at one time or another. He is one of the industry's foremost keynote speakers. He continues to teach courses at RIT and other universities and works with students on unique research projects. Please offer your feedback to Frank. He can be reached at [contact link].