Joseph Yurecka

IBM

Joseph Yurecka described his experience moving from Czechoslovakia at age eight to “Polish Heaven” in Johnson City, New York in 1930. He worked for Endicott-Johnson for three months at age eighteen, just like many immigrants in the area. His piecework job was “menial,” spraying the bottoms of shoes to moisten them before the stitchers attached the soles. However, he earned forty cents per hour working fulltime, which he noted was good money in those days. He remembered going to the EJ cafeteria with other workers (including IBMers) for an affordable meal. Joseph was drafted into the war effort and chose to enter the Navy where he learned about radar technology. After his service, he worked for IBM starting in April 1946 at the Carroll Press making punched cards, and he described the production process. He spent fourteen years in the printing department supply division. He won a $50 suggestion award for recommending that oilers grease the machines on machinists’ lunch hours. He described how he rose through the ranks, eventually working in quality control as a manager: in 1960 he was transferred to SMS Quality Department 692, where he remained for twenty years, mostly as a technician; in 1980 he came into management after much training. Joseph took free, company-sponsored courses at the IBM Schoolhouse after work (located conveniently across from his building of work) in areas such as photography, algebra, home repair, and electronics. He and his wife were IBM league bowlers and attended recreational events at the Country Club. Joseph talked about the evolution of computer technology he witnessed while at IBM until he retired in 1984, including the 1401, 360, and 370 systems. He commented on the growth of the community of the Southern Tier and the financial development of what came to be a billion dollar company. His dream was always for his four sons to work for IBM. One son did work for IBM, but was tragically killed in an accident.