turnkey systems, inc. (TSI)
Year Founded:
1967
Founder(s):
Ernest E. (Lee) Keet
Howard G. (Tod) Pontius
Location:
Norwalk, CT
Description:
TSI was founded as a contract programming firm specializing in developing large online
systems. Gaps in the functionality provided by the software supplied by IBM led the
founders to see an opportunity to market software products that would fill those gaps. In
January, 1970, TSI released Task/Master, the first commercial telecommunications monitor
that was launched on a full worldwide basis. TSI was sold to Dun & Bradstreet in late
1978 and formed part of the Software Products Group that Keet ran until 1983. In 1985, the
venture firm founded by Keet and others bought the assets formerly owned by TSI and other
D&B divisions, reconstituting TSI International Software and four other companies. In
1999, TSI Software changed it name to Mercator Software and it is still operating
successfully today under that name.
Year of First Public Offering:
1997
Final Year in Business:
Not applicable
Disposition:
Not applicable
Price, if sold:
Not applicable
Current contact information:
Mercator Software
45 Danbury Road
Wilton, CT 06897
1.203.761.8600
Sources for additional information:
Mercator's web site Keet, Ernest E. (Lee).
"Getting Hooked on Software." Software History Center. Anecdotes/Keet1,
1998.
Sources for information on this page:
Interview with Lee Keet by Luanne Johnson on 4/9/86; Mercator's web site as of 6/6/01;
personal correspondence from Lee Keet to Luanne Johnson (various dates).
 top of page
 return to
the list of companies founded in the 1960s
|
