Harold Smith Osborne (August 1, 1887 – December 29, 1985) was an American

electrical engineer Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

. He worked for the

American Telephone & Telegraph Company AT&T Corporation, an abbreviation for its former name, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, was an American telecommunications company that provided voice, video, data, and Internet telecommunications and professional services to busi ...

for forty years, leading the team that developed the system that enabled long-distance dialing. He was president of the

Regional Plan Association The Regional Plan Association is an independent, not-for-profit regional planning organization, founded in 1922, that focuses on recommendations to improve the quality of life and economic competitiveness of a 31-county New York (state), New Yo ...

and served as the

mayor of Montclair, New Jersey Mayors of Montclair, New Jersey (not all mayors listed): *David Doremus Duncan, 1904 to 1907. *Henry V. Crawford, c. 1907. *Ernest C. Hinck, c. 1911. *Louis F. Dodd, c. 1914. *Howard F. McConnell, (1873-1933) 1920 to 1924. * Bayard H. Faulkner, (1 ...

Early life

Osborne was born in

Fayetteville, New York Fayetteville is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 4,225. The village is named after the Marquis de Lafayette, a national hero of both France and the United States. It is ...

. He received an undergraduate and doctoral degree from the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

. He married Dorothy Brockway Osborne and they had two daughters, Margaret and Polly.

Career

Osborne worked for the

for forty years, serving as the company's chief engineer between 1943 and 1952, when he retired. While at the company, his team developed the system that enabled long-distance dialing. He was president of the

International Electrotechnical Commission The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC; ) is an international standards organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronics, electronic and related technologies. IEC standards cover a va ...

(IEC) between 1952 and 1955 and of the U.S. National Committee of IEC. He was a fellow and charter member of the

Acoustical Society of America The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is an international scientific society founded in 1929 dedicated to generating, disseminating and promoting the knowledge of acoustics and its practical applications. The Society is primarily a voluntary org ...

. He served the

American National Standards Institute The American National Standards Institute (ANSI ) is a private nonprofit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States. The organiz ...

(ANSI) as vice-president, director and chair of the standards council. Osborne was honored with the ANSI's Howard Coonley Medal and the 75th anniversary medal of the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing edu ...

. He received the

IEEE Edison Medal The IEEE Edison Medal is presented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) "for a career of meritorious achievement in electrical science, electrical engineering, or the electrical arts." It is the oldest medal in this fi ...

for "contributions to the art of telecommunication and his leadership and vision in extending its application; for his achievements in the coordination of international communication and in national and international standardization; and for his advancement of the engineering profession". After he retired, he became a consultant and was involved in civic planning. He served as the president of the

, which promoted development in the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area and sometimes referred to as Greater New York, is the List of cities by GDP, largest metropolitan economy in the world, with a List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP, gross metropo ...

. It supported suburban business parks such as

Stamford, Connecticut Stamford () is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, outside of New York City. It is the sixth-most populous city in New England. Stamford is also the largest city in the Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, Weste ...

, and natural parks, such as the

Gateway National Recreation Area Gateway National Recreation Area is a U.S. National Recreation Area in New York City and Monmouth County, New Jersey. It provides recreational opportunities that are not commonly found in a dense urban environment, including ocean swimming, b ...

and the

Fire Island National Seashore Fire Island National Seashore (FINS) is a United States National Seashore that protects a section of Fire Island, New York, Fire Island, an approximately long and wide barrier island separated from Long Island by the Great South Bay. The isla ...

. Osborne was the

, between 1961 and 1964.

Later life

Osborne died on December 29, 1985, at the age of 98.

References

External links

Edison Medal

IEC presidents
{{DEFAULTSORT:Osborne, Harold S. 1887 births 1985 deaths 20th-century mayors of places in New Jersey AT&T people IEEE Edison Medal recipients Mayors of Montclair, New Jersey