Harvey S. Gellman
Encyclopedia
Harvey S. Gellman was born in Poland
and immigrated to Canada
when he was very young. After getting a Ph.D., he launched a successful career as a consultant in Toronto
. He was remembered as being "one of Canada's computer pioneers and most distinguished consultants".
in 1951. While working on his thesis, he worked at the first computer center in Canada at the University of Toronto, a Ferut, and did the programming. His Ph. D. work was on the origins of the Earth's magnetic field and his thesis was "Computation of the magnetic field produced by a moving liquid", with his supervisor Edward Bullard. The Bullard-Gellman Dynamo, presented in a pioneering paper in 1954, was the first convincing qualitative model for dynamo action in a fluid sphere. http://books.google.ca/books?id=O-wA0ocxAiIC&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=Harvey+Gellman&source=bl&ots=1F43kVmPGX&sig=y-FMRwSCrIBF5OWrGJeLn_lP3So&hl=en&ei=uypqS-a-FJC1tgec4ZnrBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CCQQ6AEwBzgK#v=onepage&q=Harvey%20Gellman&f=false.
In 1964, H.S. Gellman & Co. Ltd. was bought by DCF Systems Limited to strengthen their analytical talent. DCF was a consortium originally founded by de Havilland Canada, CAE and Ferranti to bid on the installation of Bomarc missile bases in Canada in the mid early 1960s. Gellman then became vice-president and soon afterwards president of DCF. On Nov. 8, 1966, in association with Ronald C. Carroll (vice-president of DCF), Gellman purchased DCF from the de Havilland.
Harvey Gellman was a founding member of the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS), and served as its president in 1965. He was named International Systems Man of the Year in 1967 by The Association for Systems Management. He also helped found the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Ontario, holding the post of president in 1968. He was president of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants from June 1970 to July 1971.
He understood quite early that computers would play a major role in everyday life: "Eventually, Dr. Gellman believes, computers may be as available as telephones and electricity, and on somewhat the same basis". He also foresaw the commodification of computer software: "the computer use of pre-programmed application packages will become more widespread as managers realize their organizations are not entirely different from others".
DCF merged with AGT Data Systems in 1969. AGT/DCF was now a large computer system consulting firm. His clients included many of the biggest firms in Canada (Eaton’s, Maclean-Hunter, Imperial Oil, Air Canada, Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, etc.) as well as various provincial governments. Harvey Gellman, Jim Hayward, Burry Foss and Michael Asner founded Gellman-Hayward & Partners Ltd. in 1974 as a limited partnership. In 1992, this company was acquired by the CGI Group
. Harvey retired from CGI in 1997.
Jim has written a knol about Harvey's career, lesson's learned from Harvey and how people remember him. Harvey Gellman Pioneer Computer Consultant
He developed his philosophy of information management in a book published in 1995 in collaboration with Alistair Davidson and Mary Chung: Riding the Tiger.
Gellman, Harvey S., "How The Computer Can Be Used To Rob You Blind," Risk Management (August/September 1971).
Gellman, Harvey S., "Using The Computer To Steal," Computers & Automation (April 1971) p. 16.
He also co-authored a book called "Riding the Tiger" which is classic book filled with timeless lessons about information management.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and immigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
when he was very young. After getting a Ph.D., he launched a successful career as a consultant in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. He was remembered as being "one of Canada's computer pioneers and most distinguished consultants".
Studies
H. S. Gellman got his doctorate in Applied Mathematics at the University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1951. While working on his thesis, he worked at the first computer center in Canada at the University of Toronto, a Ferut, and did the programming. His Ph. D. work was on the origins of the Earth's magnetic field and his thesis was "Computation of the magnetic field produced by a moving liquid", with his supervisor Edward Bullard. The Bullard-Gellman Dynamo, presented in a pioneering paper in 1954, was the first convincing qualitative model for dynamo action in a fluid sphere. http://books.google.ca/books?id=O-wA0ocxAiIC&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=Harvey+Gellman&source=bl&ots=1F43kVmPGX&sig=y-FMRwSCrIBF5OWrGJeLn_lP3So&hl=en&ei=uypqS-a-FJC1tgec4ZnrBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CCQQ6AEwBzgK#v=onepage&q=Harvey%20Gellman&f=false.
Career
He got his first consulting job in 1955 with Adalia Ltd. in association with Sir Robert Watson-Watt, the British radar pioneer. Adalia's initial work for TCA (Trans Canada Airlines) seems to have been as a working group for Adalia Ltd.[IEEE The Annals of the History of Computing Volume:16 Issue:2 Date:Summer 1994] In 1956, he formed his own company, H. S. Gellman & Co. Although KCS Data Control Ltd. of Toronto developed the system design for the Gemini (later renamed Reservec) system, but seems to have lost the bid for the later programming contract to H.S. Gellman and Company Ltd. of Toronto. H.S. Gellman & Company worked on the Reservec System for TCA until the early 60's. Another of his early consulting jobs was with Atomic Energy of Canada, where he wrote analytical programs for the scientists at Chalk River Laboratories. One of his early employees, W.K. Hastings, recalls him as a great mentor.In 1964, H.S. Gellman & Co. Ltd. was bought by DCF Systems Limited to strengthen their analytical talent. DCF was a consortium originally founded by de Havilland Canada, CAE and Ferranti to bid on the installation of Bomarc missile bases in Canada in the mid early 1960s. Gellman then became vice-president and soon afterwards president of DCF. On Nov. 8, 1966, in association with Ronald C. Carroll (vice-president of DCF), Gellman purchased DCF from the de Havilland.
Harvey Gellman was a founding member of the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS), and served as its president in 1965. He was named International Systems Man of the Year in 1967 by The Association for Systems Management. He also helped found the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Ontario, holding the post of president in 1968. He was president of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants from June 1970 to July 1971.
He understood quite early that computers would play a major role in everyday life: "Eventually, Dr. Gellman believes, computers may be as available as telephones and electricity, and on somewhat the same basis". He also foresaw the commodification of computer software: "the computer use of pre-programmed application packages will become more widespread as managers realize their organizations are not entirely different from others".
DCF merged with AGT Data Systems in 1969. AGT/DCF was now a large computer system consulting firm. His clients included many of the biggest firms in Canada (Eaton’s, Maclean-Hunter, Imperial Oil, Air Canada, Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, etc.) as well as various provincial governments. Harvey Gellman, Jim Hayward, Burry Foss and Michael Asner founded Gellman-Hayward & Partners Ltd. in 1974 as a limited partnership. In 1992, this company was acquired by the CGI Group
CGI Group
CGI Group Inc. is an information technology management and business process services company. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, CGI employs approximately 31,000 professionals in over 125 offices in 16 countries. As of September 2010, CGI had an annual revenue of CA $3.7...
. Harvey retired from CGI in 1997.
Jim has written a knol about Harvey's career, lesson's learned from Harvey and how people remember him. Harvey Gellman Pioneer Computer Consultant
Social responsibility
While he was president of DCF Systems Ltd, H.S. Gellman insisted in public conferences on the social responsibility of management consultants. He also insisted on the importance of developing secure systems for the protection of data. He was a mentor and coach to many people.He developed his philosophy of information management in a book published in 1995 in collaboration with Alistair Davidson and Mary Chung: Riding the Tiger.
Publications
Harvey Gellman was a prolific author of articles published in many journals. A couple of early articles on computer security are list below:Gellman, Harvey S., "How The Computer Can Be Used To Rob You Blind," Risk Management (August/September 1971).
Gellman, Harvey S., "Using The Computer To Steal," Computers & Automation (April 1971) p. 16.
He also co-authored a book called "Riding the Tiger" which is classic book filled with timeless lessons about information management.