Resolution for the 90th Anniversary of Motorola Solutions
WHEREAS, Motorola Solutions is an iconic American company, started by Paul and Joseph Galvin as Galvin Manufacturing Corporation at 847 Harrison Street in Chicago, Illinois, on September 25, 1928. Paul Galvin spent $750 at an auction to purchase tools and plans for the manufacture of a battery eliminator and thus started the steps to develop and grow Motorola; and
WHEREAS, Paul Galvin's entrepreneurial spirit, blended with his direct, no-nonsense philosophy and respect for people born of his small town Illinois heritage, inspired the success of Galvin Manufacturing Corporation and its first five employees; and
WHEREAS, Galvin Manufacturing Corporation developed one ofthe first commercially successful car radios in 1930. Company founder Paul Galvin created the Motorola brand for the car radio— linking "motor" (for motorcar) with "ola" (which implied sound); and
WHEREAS, Galvin Manufacturing Corporation began selling Motorola car radio receivers to police departments and municipalities in November 1930. The company's first public safety customers included the Village of River Forest; Village of Bellwood Police Department; City of Evanston Police; Illinois State Highway Police; and Cook County (Chicago area) Police; and
WHEREAS, in 1940 Motorola engineers developed the Handie-Talkie SCR536 AM handheld two-way radio that became a World War II battlefield icon; and in 1943 they designed the world's first FM portable two-way radio, the SCR300 backpack model, for the U.S. Army Signal Corps; and
WHEREAS, in 1945 Galvin Manufacturing Corporation installed a Motorola two-way radio communications system for the Rock Island Lines railroad at Blue Island, Illinois, the first railway radio station licensed by the U.S. government; and
WHEREAS, in 1946 Motorola developed an experimental long-distance radio communications system for the bus industry, used by buses between Chicago and Detroit, Michigan. A control center with Motorola large beam reflector antennas and main transmitters was installed at the Chicago Board of Trade; and
WHEREAS, in 1947 Galvin Manufacturing Corporation changed its name to Motorola, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, a Motorola radio transponder relayed the first words from the moon to Earth in July 1969. The transponder aboard the Apollo 11 lunar module transmitted telemetry, tracking, voice communications and television signals between Earth and the moon; and
WHEREAS, in 2008 Motorola completed the world's first over-the-air Long-Term Evolution (LTE) data session in the 700 MHz band in Motorola labs and outdoors in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, in 2011 Motorola, Inc. became Motorola Solutions, Inc., and continues to create innovative, mission-critical communication solutions and services that help public safety and commercial customers build safer cities and thriving communities:
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WHEREAS, Motorola Solutions looks forward to celebrating its 90th Anniversary in the State of Illinois, County of Cook and City of Chicago on September 25, 2018; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Chicago shall recognize September 25, 2018, as Motorola Solutions Day as the company celebrates it storied past and continued transformation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Chicago is hereby authorized to honor and celebrate Motorola Solutions' 90 year history of innovation and transformation and is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this resolution to Motorola Solutions.