Name/Title
Oral History of Clyde F. Coombs Jr.Entry/Object ID
2020.011.001Scope and Content
Clyde Coombs attended the University of Utah. He began working at HP at the recommendation of a friend and moved first to Mountain View in 1959 and then to Los Altos. He served as campaign chair for Bob Grimm. He described issues and concerns over the years in the community of Los Altos, such as the tension between development and preserving the small-town ambiance. In addition, Coombs talks about his wife’s contributions to the community, including her book Trees of Los Altos (1972) and her service on the Planning Commission.
The interview begins with Coombs’ recollections of his early years, meeting his wife, and the birth of their children. He continues with his education and experience in the Navy. Coombs recalls his experience over the years at HP along with the changes in the industry and the development of products in response to those changes. He provides detailed explanations of printed circuit boards and how the technology evolved, including plated-through technology. He transitioned to the new computer operation at HP in 1967 with innovations in timeshare and memory. He and his family spent time in Singapore while he managed a production group, taking advantage of the more affordable labor and a favorable business climate there. During his career, he served on the Grace Commission and also authored four successful books with McGraw-Hill, which he describes in detail.Collection
Oral History CollectionOral History Details
Interviewee
Clyde F. Coombs, Jr.Interviewer
Patti WhiteInterview Date
Jun 18, 2019