Max Hopper
Encyclopedia
Max D. Hopper was an American IT manager
, who served as the CIO
of Bank of America
, the SVP (IS) of American Airlines
(AA) and the chairman of the Sabre group
. The CIO Magazine has hailed him as the "pre-eminent modern-era CIO and a founding father of IT-inspired competitive advantage", and the Computerworld
has named him among the top 25 greatest contributions to the field of Information Systems
.
In 1952, while he was still at UT, Hopper's family moved to Houston for his father's job. His mother got pregnant with his younger brother Ricky shortly before the move, and left her job. The family faced financial problems, but his mother helped him finish the semester by borrowing money. He took up summer jobs in Houston in 1953 to support himself financially.
In 1954, Hopper applied for the position of a research lab technician at the Shell Oil Company
. He got one of the highest grades ever in the company's IQ test, which was full of mental arithmetic. He earned $330 a month on this job. Soon after getting his first job, Hopper married his 20-year girlfriend at the age of 19.
In January 1955, he and his younger brother were selected for the Army Security Agency
, which he saw as an opportunity to continue his education (see G.I. Bill). Another factor that influenced his decision was the Shell's policy of paying a serviceman 1/2 of his salary to bridge the gap between his military pay and his total pay.
During his service in the army, Hopper learned morse code, and took up part-time courses at the University of Virginia
's extension in Arlington. Apart from the math and the English courses, he started taking business courses: accounting, cost accounting, business law, economics etc.
Hopper got out of the army in January 1958. By this time, he had a one-year old son, who was born at Fort Belvoir
. His accounting professor, who worked at CIA, wanted him to work for them and offered him a job. The NSA also offered him a job to go into their educational program. However, Hopper decided to go back to Texas and went back to Shell. He decided to go part-time to the University of Houston
and obtained a bachelor's degree in mathematics. After this, he wanted to study operations research
, but Shell decided to transfer him to New York
. Also, his advisor left academia for a job in Cleveland, and he never finished his thesis.
came out, so he started studying Sabre.
In 1967, the Electronic Data Systems
(EDS) offered him a job, which he turned down. It was at this time that Shell decided to move him to The Hague
(the headquarters of Royal Dutch
), but his wife didn't want to go overseas. Therefore, he joined EDS as a system engineer, and worked on a project to develop a reservation system for the United Airlines
. In 1970, he left EDS to join United Airlines.
Max Hopper is best remembered for his work on the Sabre
computer reservation system used by airlines, railways, hotels, travel agents and other travel companies. The system had a huge impact on the travel agency market. Max Hopper joined American Airlines in 1972 as director of Sabre. Professor James I. Cash Jr. of the Harvard Business School
described him as "the first person who really defined the marketing leverage that could come from using technology". In the late 1980s, Hopper pioneered systems integration when he led the development of InterAAct, a landmark desktop network at American Airlines.
In 1982, Hopper left AA to join Bank of America
as VP. However, he joined American Airlines again in 1985, this time as the Senior Vice President of Information Technology. He retired in 1995, as the chairman of Sabre Group
, a unit of AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines.
After his retirement in 1995, Hopper founded a consulting firm, Max D. Hopper Associates specializing in the strategic use of advanced information systems
.
Max hopper served on the Board of Directors or advisory boards for several corporations, including Gartner
, Perficient
, Metrocall, Payless Cashways
, USDATA Corporation, Exodus Communications
, United Stationers
, Instantis and Accrue Software. In addition, he also served on the advisory councils or executive boards of several educational institutions, including the Graduate School of Management for the University of Texas at Dallas
and the Southern Methodist University
's School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Information technology management
IT management is the discipline whereby all of the technology resources of a firm are managed in accordance with its needs and priorities. These resources may include tangible investments like computer hardware, software, data, networks and data centre facilities, as well as the staffs who are...
, who served as the CIO
Chief information officer
Chief information officer , or information technology director, is a job title commonly given to the most senior executive in an enterprise responsible for the information technology and computer systems that support enterprise goals...
of Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, the SVP (IS) of American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
(AA) and the chairman of the Sabre group
Sabre (computer system)
Sabre Global Distribution System , owned by Sabre Holdings, is used by more than 55,000 travel agencies around the world with more than 400 airlines, 88,000 hotels, 24 car rental brands, and 13 cruise lines...
. The CIO Magazine has hailed him as the "pre-eminent modern-era CIO and a founding father of IT-inspired competitive advantage", and the Computerworld
Computerworld
Computerworld is an IT magazine that provides information for senior IT leaders. It is published in many countries around the world under the same or similar names. Its publisher is International Data Group. Computerworld serves the needs of IT management via print and online...
has named him among the top 25 greatest contributions to the field of Information Systems
Information systems
Information Systems is an academic/professional discipline bridging the business field and the well-defined computer science field that is evolving toward a new scientific area of study...
.
Biography
Max Hopper was born in a log house near Lufkin to Irvin Washington Hopper (b. 1910) and Norma Dunn Hopper (b. 1913). He grew up near Lufkin, and was educated at the Central Consolidated School and the Texas City High School.In 1952, while he was still at UT, Hopper's family moved to Houston for his father's job. His mother got pregnant with his younger brother Ricky shortly before the move, and left her job. The family faced financial problems, but his mother helped him finish the semester by borrowing money. He took up summer jobs in Houston in 1953 to support himself financially.
In 1954, Hopper applied for the position of a research lab technician at the Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...
. He got one of the highest grades ever in the company's IQ test, which was full of mental arithmetic. He earned $330 a month on this job. Soon after getting his first job, Hopper married his 20-year girlfriend at the age of 19.
In January 1955, he and his younger brother were selected for the Army Security Agency
United States Army Security Agency
The United States Army Security Agency was the United States Army's signal intelligence branch. Its motto was "Vigilant Always." The Agency existed between 1945 and 1976 and was the successor to Army signal intelligence operations dating back to World War I...
, which he saw as an opportunity to continue his education (see G.I. Bill). Another factor that influenced his decision was the Shell's policy of paying a serviceman 1/2 of his salary to bridge the gap between his military pay and his total pay.
During his service in the army, Hopper learned morse code, and took up part-time courses at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
's extension in Arlington. Apart from the math and the English courses, he started taking business courses: accounting, cost accounting, business law, economics etc.
Hopper got out of the army in January 1958. By this time, he had a one-year old son, who was born at Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Originally, it was the site of the Belvoir plantation. Today, Fort Belvoir is home to a number of important United States military organizations...
. His accounting professor, who worked at CIA, wanted him to work for them and offered him a job. The NSA also offered him a job to go into their educational program. However, Hopper decided to go back to Texas and went back to Shell. He decided to go part-time to the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
and obtained a bachelor's degree in mathematics. After this, he wanted to study operations research
Operations research
Operations research is an interdisciplinary mathematical science that focuses on the effective use of technology by organizations...
, but Shell decided to transfer him to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Also, his advisor left academia for a job in Cleveland, and he never finished his thesis.
IT career
While working for Shell, Hopper became interested in computers. The first computer he used was a Burroughs Elecom 101, which he described as a "play toy". He moved to New York with his family in 1964. This was the year when SabreSabre (computer system)
Sabre Global Distribution System , owned by Sabre Holdings, is used by more than 55,000 travel agencies around the world with more than 400 airlines, 88,000 hotels, 24 car rental brands, and 13 cruise lines...
came out, so he started studying Sabre.
In 1967, the Electronic Data Systems
Electronic Data Systems
HP Enterprise Services is the global business and technology services division of Hewlett Packard's HP Enterprise Business strategic business unit. It was formed by the combination of HP's legacy services consulting and outsourcing business and the integration of acquired Electronic Data Systems,...
(EDS) offered him a job, which he turned down. It was at this time that Shell decided to move him to The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
(the headquarters of Royal Dutch
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
), but his wife didn't want to go overseas. Therefore, he joined EDS as a system engineer, and worked on a project to develop a reservation system for the United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
. In 1970, he left EDS to join United Airlines.
Max Hopper is best remembered for his work on the Sabre
Sabre (computer system)
Sabre Global Distribution System , owned by Sabre Holdings, is used by more than 55,000 travel agencies around the world with more than 400 airlines, 88,000 hotels, 24 car rental brands, and 13 cruise lines...
computer reservation system used by airlines, railways, hotels, travel agents and other travel companies. The system had a huge impact on the travel agency market. Max Hopper joined American Airlines in 1972 as director of Sabre. Professor James I. Cash Jr. of the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
described him as "the first person who really defined the marketing leverage that could come from using technology". In the late 1980s, Hopper pioneered systems integration when he led the development of InterAAct, a landmark desktop network at American Airlines.
In 1982, Hopper left AA to join Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
as VP. However, he joined American Airlines again in 1985, this time as the Senior Vice President of Information Technology. He retired in 1995, as the chairman of Sabre Group
Sabre Holdings
Sabre Holdings or Sabre, Inc. is an American privately held travel technology company, encompassing several brands in three global distribution system channels: travel agency, airline, and direct to consumer. These areas are serviced by TSG's three main business groups...
, a unit of AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines.
After his retirement in 1995, Hopper founded a consulting firm, Max D. Hopper Associates specializing in the strategic use of advanced information systems
Information systems
Information Systems is an academic/professional discipline bridging the business field and the well-defined computer science field that is evolving toward a new scientific area of study...
.
Max hopper served on the Board of Directors or advisory boards for several corporations, including Gartner
Gartner
Gartner, Inc. is an information technology research and advisory firm headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, United States. It was known as GartnerGroup until 2001....
, Perficient
Perficient
Perficient, Inc. provides IT consulting services. Perficient helps companies adapt their systems to the Internet using third party software products. Their work includes custom development and platform implementations through partnerships with companies including IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, TIBCO and...
, Metrocall, Payless Cashways
Payless Cashways
Payless Cashways Inc. was a major building materials retailer in the 1980s and 1990s and many consider it the first national chain to implement the powerful DIY strategy. They operated throughout the Mid West under the names Payless Cashways. Payless Cashways differed from modern DIY retailers in...
, USDATA Corporation, Exodus Communications
Exodus Communications
Exodus Communications was an Internet hosting service and Internet service provider to dot-com businesses. It went broke, along with many of its customers, during the bursting of the dot-com bubble. It declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001 and was purchased by Cable and Wireless in November...
, United Stationers
United Stationers
United Stationers is the largest wholesale distributor of business products in North America, with sales in of nearly $5 billion. In 2011, it ranked 467 out of the Fortune 500 companies...
, Instantis and Accrue Software. In addition, he also served on the advisory councils or executive boards of several educational institutions, including the Graduate School of Management for the University of Texas at Dallas
University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public research university in the University of Texas System. The main campus is in the heart of the Richardson, Texas, Telecom Corridor, north of downtown Dallas...
and the Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
's School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Positions held
- President, Max D. Hopper Associates Inc., Dallas
- 1993-95: Chairman, The Sabre Group, AMR Corp.
- 1985-93: Senior vice president of IS, American Airlines
- 1982-85: Executive vice president and CIO, Bank of America
Awards and recognition
- 1991: Society for Information ManagementSociety for Information ManagementThe Society for Information Management is a professional organization of over 3,500 senior IT executives, Chief Information Officers, prominent academicians, selected consultants, and other IT thought leaders built on the foundation of local chapters, who come together to share and enhance their...
's Partners in Leadership award for his contribution to InterAAct. - 1992: ComputerworldComputerworldComputerworld is an IT magazine that provides information for senior IT leaders. It is published in many countries around the world under the same or similar names. Its publisher is International Data Group. Computerworld serves the needs of IT management via print and online...
recognized Hopper among the top 25 greatest contributions to the field of Information SystemsInformation systemsInformation Systems is an academic/professional discipline bridging the business field and the well-defined computer science field that is evolving toward a new scientific area of study...
. - 1995: Data Processing Management Association's (DPMA) Distinguished Information Sciences Award
- 1997: Inducted into the Infomart's Information Hall of Fame
- 1999: Named by CIO magazine among the decade's 12 most influential information system executives
- 2000: Leadership Award for Collaborative Innovation at the 2000 Computerworld Honors Program
External links
- Max Hopper Oral History, interviewed by Daniel S. Morrow. ComputerworldComputerworldComputerworld is an IT magazine that provides information for senior IT leaders. It is published in many countries around the world under the same or similar names. Its publisher is International Data Group. Computerworld serves the needs of IT management via print and online...
Honors Program International Archive.