John V. Roach*

John Roach was born in 1938 in Stamford, Texas, and moved to Fort Worth with his family at the age of four. After World War II, his father operated a small neighborhood grocery store. As a youngster, Roach worked in the store after school, stocking shelves, sweeping floors, and cashiering.

During his college years at Texas Christian University, Roach held jobs unloading boxcars and working as a field engineer. He earned a degree in physics and math, and he returned two years later to earn an MBA, specializing in computer programming and the potential of widespread consumer use of computers.

In 1967, Roach joined Tandy Corp. as a data processing manager. "At that time, neither the concept nor the thought of a personal computer had even been conceived," he says. During the mid-1970s, as vice president of manufacturing, Roach led Tandy in its emergence as a pioneer in the microcomputer industry. He had the ability to see the power of the microprocessor and what it would do for consumers. He made accurate predictions, long before anyone had ever heard of the Internet, that the computer would become more personal and interrelated.

By 1981, Roach was one of the youngest CEOs in the country. He became chairman and CEO in 1983, and he held those positions until he retired in 1999. The following year, Tandy was renamed RadioShack Corp. and became one of the country's largest consumer electronics retailers.

Roach gives much of the credit for his success to his solid family background. "I had hardworking parents and certainly an exceptionally determined mother," he says. "I think if I had a role model, it was a strong family-based upbringing."

He adds, "There are so many great challenges and opportunities out there. Whether you're looking at business, or whether you're looking at the community, or whether you're looking at the family, there are just an infinite number of challenges in all directions that make it exciting to get up in the morning."

Wanting to promote the study of science and math, Roach helped Tandy launch a program that rewards teachers and students who are leaders in those subjects. "I wanted to do something that would help America be more competitive tomorrow in a world where technology is a major driving force," he says. His program awards money to teachers and students who have made outstanding contributions to academic excellence in science and math.