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John D. "Jack" Goeken (August 22, 1930 – September 16, 2010) was an American
telecommunications Telecommunication, often used in its plural form or abbreviated as telecom, is the transmission of information over a distance using electronic means, typically through cables, radio waves, or other communication technologies. These means of ...
entrepreneur. Goeken founded multiple communications companies, often pursuing innovative technologies despite significant skepticism and resistance. He was the founder of Microwave Communications Inc. in the early 1960s, initially established to support the sale of
two-way radios A two-way radio is a radio transceiver (a radio that can both transmit and receive radio waves), which is used for bidirectional person-to-person voice communication with other users with similar radios, in contrast to a broadcast receiver, whi ...
. The company would go on to play a major role in transforming the U.S. telecommunications industry by introducing lower-cost long-distance telephone service for consumers and businesses. Other ventures included
Airfone Airfone was an air-ground radio active service developed by MCI and operated under the names ''Airfone'', ''GTE Airfone'', and Verizon Airfone. Airfone allowed passengers to make a phone call (later including data modem service) in-flight. Air ...
and In-Flight Phone, which were instrumental in developing air-to-ground telephone systems, as well as the digital network later adopted by FTD florists.


Early life and education

John D. Goeken was born on August 22, 1930, in
Joliet, Illinois Joliet ( ) is a city in Will County, Illinois, Will and Kendall County, Illinois, Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County, Illinois, Will County. It had a population of ...
. His father was a
Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
minister.


Career


MCI Communications

Goeken founded his company, originally named Microwave Communications Inc., after leaving the Army, where he had gained experience with microwave technology. At the time, truckers traveling between
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
and
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
were unable to use
two-way radios A two-way radio is a radio transceiver (a radio that can both transmit and receive radio waves), which is used for bidirectional person-to-person voice communication with other users with similar radios, in contrast to a broadcast receiver, whi ...
over long distances due to limited signal range. Goeken addressed this by building a network of microwave towers along the route to relay signals. The company faced opposition from established telecommunications firms, which filed challenges with the
Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...
(FCC). Despite this, the FCC granted MCI the right to compete with
AT&T AT&T Inc., an abbreviation for its predecessor's former name, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the w ...
for long-distance service in 1971. In 1974, MCI filed an
antitrust Competition law is the field of law that promotes or seeks to maintain market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies. Competition law is implemented through public and private enforcement. It is also known as antitrust l ...
lawsuit against AT&T, alleging anti-competitive practices. The lawsuit initiated the process that ultimately led to the breakup of AT&T. It resulted in a settlement under which AT&T agreed to divest its local telephone operations, culminating in its breakup in 1984. Goeken left MCI in 1974 following a disagreement with William G. McGowan, whom he had brought on to help raise capital. Goeken favored focusing on business clients, while McGowan steered the company toward consumer services. McGowan later became chairman of MCI Communications, while Goeken retained an ownership stake after his departure.


Airfone

Despite widespread skepticism about the demand for in-flight communication, Goeken founded
Airfone Airfone was an air-ground radio active service developed by MCI and operated under the names ''Airfone'', ''GTE Airfone'', and Verizon Airfone. Airfone allowed passengers to make a phone call (later including data modem service) in-flight. Air ...
, a company providing air-to-ground telephone service. He later sold a stake in the company to GTE Corporation to secure funding but ultimately departed following disagreements over GTE’s management approach. After selling Airfone Corp. to GTE Corp., Goeken alleged that GTE breached their contract by not allowing him to run the company as he saw fit, and he asked a court to void his non-compete agreement. A court agreed, and Goeken then founded In-Flight Phone Corporation in
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois Oakbrook Terrace is a city in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage County, Illinois, and is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 2,751. It is the smallest town in DuPage County, in terms of area an ...
, with the intent of competing with GTE Airfone, which held a monopoly on air-to-ground telecommunications.Mary Peterson Kauffold (1992) "John Goeken has kept failure at a long distance", ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'', Apr 19, 1992
In 1990, the FCC approved Goeken's plan to share the Airfone frequencies, and solicited applications for and subsequently issued licences to several companies to operate digital Terrestrial Aeronautical Public Correspondence (TAPC) services. In-Flight Phone Corp. was awarded one of these licenses, and Goeken was clear to compete with GTE Airfone. In-Flight Phone Corporation attracted more than $200 million from investors, and Goeken set out to build the first nationwide digital air-to-ground telecommunications network, capable of delivering static-free telephone calls, internet service and information services, to airplane seats. The company successfully competed for service contracts with USAir and other airlines. In 1996, Goeken sold In-Flight Phone Corp. to MCI Corp.


FTD Mercury

Goeken developed FTD Mercury, a
computer network A computer network is a collection of communicating computers and other devices, such as printers and smart phones. In order to communicate, the computers and devices must be connected by wired media like copper cables, optical fibers, or b ...
used by
florists Floristry is the production, commerce, and trade in flowers. It encompasses flower care and handling, floral design and arrangement, merchandising, production, display and flower delivery. Wholesale florists sell bulk flowers and related s ...
to transmit flower orders electronically.


Goeken Group

In 1995, he established Goeken Group, a holding company to manage his business ventures.


Personal life

Goeken was married to Mona Lisa Goeken for 59 years. The couple met in high school and lived in the same home in
Plainfield, Illinois Plainfield is a village (Illinois), village in Will County, Illinois, Will and Kendall County, Illinois, Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 44,762 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is part of the C ...
,for over 40 years. They had a daughter, Sandra Goeken Miles, who was involved in his business ventures; a son, John; and seven grandchildren. Goeken was interested in aviation and was a licensed pilot. He was commonly known as "Jack".


Death

Goeken died on September 16, 2010, at the Provena St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. He had been undergoing treatment for
esophageal cancer Esophageal cancer (American English) or oesophageal cancer (British English) is cancer arising from the esophagus—the food pipe that runs between the throat and the stomach. Symptoms often include dysphagia, difficulty in swallowing and weigh ...
for five years.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goeken, John D. American telecommunications industry businesspeople Businesspeople from Illinois 1930 births 2010 deaths Deaths from esophageal cancer in the United States Deaths from cancer in Illinois 20th-century American inventors 20th-century American businesspeople