Dennis M.

Gillespie

Dennis Gillespie had a very successful career as an engineer and business executive. With his passing, part of the history of the development of digital control technology that transformed the industrial control industry has been lost. He played a key role in the development of digital technology in Process Control Systems in the 1970s.

He joined Taylor Instruments’ new Digital Division in Rochester, NY in 1971 and helped develop hardware and software to replace older analog control systems in industrial applications, primarily in paper machine control applications, Taylor Instruments’ area of expertise. These systems were developed before microprocessors were available and used minicomputers, with code written in very basic machine language to develop the system’s hardware and software. These were very busy and exciting times and all who worked on the development team became close lifelong friends.

Dennis left Taylor Instruments in 1974 to lead Bailey Controls’ new systems Development Group in Cleveland, OH. At Bailey Controls, he led the development of the first digital control system (Network 90) using Motorola’s first-generation microprocessors. These were very busy and exciting times as the control industry was entering digital control. This successful system went on to evolve into the major digital control systems of today.

After Bailey, Dennis joined Allen Bradley as Vice President and General Manager of their Industrial Communication Division. At Allen Bradley he also served as General Manager of the

Intelligent Motion Control Division and Director of Engineering of the Computer Numerical Control Division businesses from 1980 to 1990, leading them to a period of strong product and sales growth. He left Allen Bradley to become Chief Operating Officer of Factory Automation & Computer Technologies in Latham, NY, a software startup from 1990-1994, leading the company through a startup and initial growth phase, resulting ultimately in the company being purchased.

Dennis joined Measurement Technology Ltd., (MTL), a British company, in 1995 as President of MTL America. With his previous management experience at Bailey Controls and Allen Bradley, he led the traditional component business company into the Systems Business, starting in 1999 as President of MTL’s system business, MTL Open Systems Technologies (MOST).

He knew the system business needed a Systems Sales capability, and led the company to acquire Standard Automation & Controls, a successful systems sales company in League City, TX. With an enhanced systems sales capability, MOST’s business grew rapidly in the 2000s. With the success of the systems business, MTL Instruments, a mid-size company grew from $60M to an over $100M business by 2005.

When MTL Instruments ultimately determined that its MOST business conflicted with its traditional components business’ major customers, it decided to sell its systems business to focus on its components business. Dennis led the sale of MTL’s System Business to General Electric in 2008.

After the system business sale, Dennis returned to the role of President of MTL America until his retirement in 2012.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Shirley; sisters Lynda, Lavonne Benash (Scott), Lisa Anderson(Leon) and brother Wayne (Mary Alice).

Special thanks to David Reynolds and Mike Willey for helping me gather this information on my husband’s career.