FIRST Fest

The First Fest Countdown

DAYS HOURS MINUTES

	The Integrated-Circuits Industry **Special Winner of Firsts nominated by Max Hauser nomination: Commercially important by 1959, fostered by such local firms as Fairchild Semiconductor, Signetics, Intel, and others in the silicon-firm family tree whose growing foliage journalist Don Hoefler chronicled in his 1971 trade-press article series, "The saga of Silicon Valley," coining the term. (Some of us locals read it at the time.) Gordon Moore of Intel, a seminal figure in the industry's development, promoted the then-novel integrated circuit (IC) to the electronics industry in a 1965 article predicting ever-denser integrated electronic functions: "Moore's Law," which still prevails. More on Moore, his law, and ICs from a 2005 historical speech: http://tinyurl.com/yyowus
business & tech “firsts” submissions
	Gil Amelio nominated William Callahan nomination: In 1973 Gil Amelio, later CEO of National Semiconductor and Apple Computer, introduced the world's first commercially available charge-coupled device (CCD) at Fairchild Semiconductor. This device soon became the main imaging device in modern TV, video, and digital cameras, as well as scanners, photocopiers and other imaging systems.
	Steve Jobs nominated by Michele Kotlarsky nomination: Co-founder of Apple Computer.
	Palo Alto Weekly nominated by Debbie Ford-Scriba nomination: The Palo Alto Weekly was the first paper in the United States to publish its editorial content to the World Wide Web in January 1994.
	Jill M. O'Brien nominated by Kerry Kloetzel nomination: Jill O'Brien (later known as Jill James) was the first woman to be named as Chairman of the Board of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce/ Convention/ Visitors Bureau.
	The Integrated-Circuits Industry nominated by Max Hauser nomination: Commercially important by 1959, fostered by such local firms as Fairchild Semiconductor, Signetics, Intel, and others in the silicon-firm family tree whose growing foliage journalist Don Hoefler chronicled in his 1971 trade-press article series, "The saga of silicon valley," coining the term. (Some of us locals read it at the time.) Gordon Moore of Intel, a seminal figure in the industry's development, promoted the then-novel integrated circuit (IC) to the electronics industry in a 1965 article predicting ever-denser integrated electronic functions: "Moore's Law," which still prevails. More on Moore, his law, and ICs from a 2005
	Dr. Robert N. Noyce nominated by Monica Holm nomination: Dr. Robert N. Noyce. Intel co-founder, Bob Noyce's nickname was the "Mayor of Silicon Valley." He was one of the very first scientists to work in the area.
	First Cannery nominated by History San Jose nomination: Dr. James Madison Dawson, his wife Eloise Jones Dawson, and their son Thomas Dawson are credited with the first successful commercial canning operation in the Santa Clara Valley. Their first pack in 1871 was 300 cases of peaches, apricots, pears and plums, processed in a woodshed in the Dawson’s backyard. The company was founded in 1872 under the name JM Dawson & Co., and later incorporated as the San Jose Fruit Packing Company.
	San Jose SLIS nominated by Ken Haycock nomination: San Jose's School of Library and Information Science is the largest program of its type in the world, with more than 3000 graduate students in archives, information systems and management, librarianship and e-records management. US News and World Report named them this year the #1 e-learning service provide in their discipline in the country. Their national association of scholars awarded them their faculty innovation award this year for creative uses of new and emerging technologies. They are the only graduate program with a full campus and classes in Second Life. They have been cited by international leaders for their academic plan and their business plan. This program is an "unsung" model for higher education.
	Greg McKenna nominated by Greg McKenna nomination: Founder of "valleylist" the first free weekly internet newsletter for Silicon Valley. 95,000 emails to silicon valley people every week and a massive win with new high tech initiatives and silicon valley politicians.
	Hobee's California Restaurant nominated by Edward Fike nomination: Hobee's was the first restaurant to make coffeecake a Silicon Valley signature item. The cinnamon-streusel topped blueberry coffeecake (served warm with butter on top) is now synonymous with Hobee's, which was founded in Mountain View in 1974. The company's reputation for the decadent treat extends worldwide. Eager fans in faraway places like Fiji have ordered tins of coffeecake to be shipped overnight. While patrons enjoy a hearty slice at any Hobee's location (located from Redwood Shores to Los Gatos), coffeecake is also a mainstay at area charitable events. Hobee's donates sheets of the coffeecake to over 600 Peninsula and South Bay non-profits each year.
	Togos nominated by Tamara Alvarado nomination: In 1968 Michael T. Cobler acquired a sandwich shop in San Jose, California in the heart of San Jose State University's Fraternity District and developed the FIRST Togo's eatery. Today there are over 350 Togo's sandwich shops.
	Lockheed Missiles & Space, Sunnyvale nominated by Leigh Weimers nomination: Lockheed is credited with development of the Corona satellite -- the nation's first photoreconnaissance satellite system, collecting both intelligence and mapping imagery from August 1960 until May 1972. Over 800,000 images were taken from space, with imaging resolution originally equaling 8 meters, but improved to 2 meters. The program was declassified in February 1995.
	Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. nominated by Leigh Weimers nomination: Lockheed achieved the first-ever hit-to-kill of an ICBM reentry vehicle in 1984 with the Homing Overlay Experiment, using the Kinetic Kill Vehicle (KKV) force of impact alone to destroy a mock warhead outside of the Earth's atmosphere.
	Arrow Development Co. nominated by Leigh Weimers nomination: Founded in 1946 in Mountain View by Karl Bacon and Ed Morgan, Arrow developed the first tubular steel rollercoaster for Disneyland's Matterhorn, as well as numerous other Disneyland rides and Danny the Dragon at San Jose's Happy Hollow. They also invented the first high-speed flume ride.
	Cable Co-op nominated by Seth Fearey nomination: Cable Co-op was the first cable television system in the country to offer Internet access over a coax cable system. The service was available in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Atherton.
	Smart Valley nominated by Seth Fearey nomination: Smart Valley built the first web site for the White House in 1973. It was at the request of the new Clinton Administration. Harry Saal, President and CEO of Smart Valley, led the effort.
	City of Palo Alto nominated by Seth Fearey nomination: The City of Palo Alto was the first to have a web page. Mayor Liz Kniss, then an employee of Sun Microsystems, led the effort.
	Bean Spray Magic Pump nominated by Diane McNutt nomination: Continuous-action spray pump for insecticides. John Bean’s spray pump, invented in Los Gatos, provided the first effective way to spray trees for scale and other diseases. The “Bean Spray Magic Pump” was patented in 1904, and was the genesis of the FMC Corporation. Bean Avenue in downtown Los Gatos is named in his honor.
	First Automobile Factory nominated by Diane McNutt nomination: First Automobile Factory in Santa Clara Valley. Charles E. Christman obtained a patent in 1901 for his automobile, built with California oak frames. The Christman Motor Carriage Company manufactured their first automobiles in Los Gatos, before moving to San Jose.
	Macabee Gopher Trap nominated by Diane McNutt nomination: The Macabee gopher trap, an original invention made of wire, was patented by Zypher Macabee in 1900. The wire trap has been manufactured in Los Gatos for 108 years, and is still considered very effective.

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