TEC history

In 1957, Collins Radio, a well-established electronics company from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, built the first building of what would become a multi-building campus on a 400-acre site north of Texas Instruments near US 75 and Arapaho Road.

Collins Radio was acquired by Rockwell in 1971.

Tech Data Corporation was founded in 1974 by Edward C. Raymund, father of the company's current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Steven A. Raymund.

When Steve joined the company in 1981, Tech Data was essentially a reseller of small supplies such as printer ribbons, cables and computer diskettes.

In 1983, Tech Data began making the transition from reseller to full-line national distributor of personal computer products.

Through an initial public stock offering in 1986, Tech Data raised needed investor capital to expand operations.

The office began life as the UA Office of Economic Development in 1987 with a broad regional economic development mission.

In 1989, the company acquired a Canadian distributor and increased geographic coverage to all of North America.

First came MCI, whose microwave network relied on the products and technical expertise of Collins Radio/Rockwell, which was acquired by Alcatel in 1991.

Machine Tech was started in November of 1992.

The Richardson Chamber began exploring the idea of the council in 1993, following a period of explosive growth among local high tech companies.

Tech Titans (Formerly known as the Metroplex Technology Business Council) was launched by four past chairs of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce in August 1994.

The board of directors held its first meeting in January 1995.

The Park began actively recruiting companies and attracted its first major tenant, Microsoft, in 1996.

In 1997 the company started operations in Brazil through TD Brasil.

And in 1999 Tech Data established subsidiaries in Argentina, Chile, Perú and Uruguay.

In its most recent fiscal year, which ended January 31, 2001, Tech Data generated sales of $20.4 billion.

In 2003, UA Center for Innovation, a business incubator, was developed to accelerate technology commercialization, helping entrepreneurs transform their ideas into successful companies.

In 2007, through a creative financing model, the University acquired a second property closer to the main campus to develop a second research park.

2008Economic impact study - Park houses 40 tenant companies which employ 6,938 of people, $66.9 million in tax revenue, $3.02 billion total dollar impact (data from CY 2008)

In 2010, the Office of Economic Development was designated the Office of University Research Parks to reflect the University’s expanding emphasis on research parks.

In April 2013, UA President Ann Weaver Hart initiated Tech Launch Arizona to enhance the University of Arizona’s technology commercialization efforts.

The fiscal year 2014 marked the best year to date for technology commercialization at the University of Arizona, and every year since 2014 Tech Launch Arizona has met or surpassed performance expectations for the key users in technology commercialization.