Special Computer Services is a company launched many years ago.
The name was chosen to use the initials of my dad, Sol C. Spiegel.
If you do genealogy, you know that people are supposed to have a middle name. Well, neither my mom, Mary Pelofsky Spiegel nor my dad were given middle names at birth. Mom never saw a need to add one. However, each of their daughters were given one.
When dad was selling homes, he decided that people should see Spiegel for homes. Thus, the C in his name.
At the time the name was launched, I decided to offer computer services.
I was a computer programmer at Quaker Oats in 1960.
Bought my first computer, a Radio Shack TRS 80 in 1979 or 80.
When Oak Terrace School students in Highwood, IL didn’t have a chance to use a computer like Wayne Thomas where my children went, my Radio Shack Model III was brought to school every day with programs that could be used by the children.
When the time came for Oak Terrace to open a computer lab, the equipment and the math and computer center were run by me. Joan Chase ran the rest of the media center.
Next, I managed one of the first computer stores, The Software Tree, in Hubbard Woods, a very high tech store with modern furnishings which let you try out software before you bought, had computer classes and sold computers. The computers were Apple I, Mac, and IBM’s first try at a computer. Also the store also sold robots.
Special Computer Services was born around this time.
My husband’s company, Howard Displays, used me as secretary/treasurer and programmer, but , also worked individually with private computer clients.
Perhaps, this was a little early for me to understand the business world.
I had a six year stint at Lego Store in Northbrook Court and followed by four years demoing food at Costco in Mettawa.
Throughout all this time, however, genealogy took over my “free” time.
