Computer innovator Jack Shemer's life to be celebrated at Shemer Art Center
Jack Shemer, known as much for his cowboy gear as his computer savvy, has died at the age of 79.
The Phoenix native died on Jan. 2 from heart disease. Friends and family will celebrate his life on Feb. 9 at the Shemer Art Center, 5005 E. Camelback Road. Jack Shemer was an esteemed technological innovator and Phoenix community member, family members said.
In the course of his career, Shemer rose from a paperboy for The Arizona Republic to the co-founder of the multimillion-dollar analytics and software company Teradata.
According to family members, he was often called “Cowboy Jack” by co-workers, family and friends. The nickname was inspired by his love of Western clothing, lifestyle and music.
“He was sort of an enigma in a way,” his brother, Barry Shemer, said. “He was this laid-back cowboy, you would never know he was a doctor in electrical engineering.”
Knack for computers discovered
Barry Shemer said it was clear from a young age that his older brother would succeed. “Everything he did, he wanted to do it well," he said.
The brothers were raised in Phoenix and could often be found horseback riding, hunting or fishing. Jack Shemer played on high school sports teams and eventually found he had a knack for computers, his brother said.
Jack Shemer started his computer career at General Electric Computing Company while attending Occidental College in California. His schooling brought him back to Arizona, where he got his master’s degree in electrical engineering at Arizona State University. He later got his doctorate degree at Southern Methodist University in Texas.
Early days of personal computers
Jack Shemer spent six years in the 1970s at Xerox, where he co-founded the Advanced Development Lab as a part of the Palo Alto Research Center in California.
The lab provided high school students with a space to test new computer technologies, according to his wife Paula Shemer. Some of the first personal computer prototypes were built in the Advanced Development Lab, she said.
She said the lab served as a stepping stone for innovators such as Steve Jobs, who attended the lab as a teenager and would later become the iconic force behind Apple.
Her husband did not know the impact his lab would have on the computer industry, Paula Shemer said.
Co-founder of Teradata
Jack Shemer became a co-founder and the first chief executive officer of computer company Teradata in 1979. He started the company from his home and initially struggled to bring his product to market, Paula Shemer said.
The company was competing with computer giant IBM, which played a large role in popularizing the personal computer as Teradata was just getting off the ground.
Teradata broke barriers in the computer industry with its parallel processing technology, which allows computers to separate and run multiple tasks on different processors all at once. This technology greatly decreases processing time, according to Tech Target.
"It beat the pants off IBM," Paula Shemer said. "Jack developed a modular product, kind of like giving trains extra engines."
Teradata's parallel processing technology was deemed "Product of the Year" by Fortune Magazine in 1986, she said.
Jack Shemer was also named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Venture magazine in 1987, the same year Teradata went public. His wife said the award celebrated his technological innovations within Teradata and honored his contributions to the computer industry.
The company today provides database and analytics software products and services and, according to it's website, works with more than 75 countries.
Family in Phoenix
Jack Shemer split his time between Arizona and his cattle ranch in Montana. Both of his parents, Martha and Jack Shemer, were well-known figures in the city.
His mother purchased and donated Shemer Art Center to the City of Phoenix, which is where the celebration of life will be held.
Shonna James, the president and executive director of Shemer Art Center, said the Shemer family, including Jack Shemer, has always been extremely supportive.
James, who met Jack Shemer when she started at the center, said she was inspired by his caring attitude and dedication to center's success.
Throughout his career, monetary gain was never Jack Shemer's top priority, his brother said.
“As much as he accomplished, his friends and family were always the most important things in his life,” Barry Shemer said.
The celebration of life will allow family and friends to learn more about Jack Shemer through connection and storytelling, James said.
Instead of flowers, attendees are encouraged to make donations in Jack Shemer’s name to the Shemer Art Center and American Legion Post 44.
“Phoenix was his home and a special place for his family, between his friends and family here and his ranch in Montana this is the perfect place for his celebration of life,” James said.
Have a tip? Reach the reporter Katelyn Reinhart at Katelyn.Reinhart@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter @ReinhartKatelyn.
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