Dick Morley and the Wizard of Wonderware

To write the astounding history of two automation companies, the author naturally called the father of PLC, Dick Morley.   Legend and fact has it that Mr. Morley, at the time a skier with an engineering habit, scrawled out the standards of what was to become the workhorse of industrial applications, the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) in 1968.   A year later, he was leading a newly created company called Modicon and transformed factory control systems, starting with General Motors.  

"Mr. Morley, I am writing a book about......"
"Writing a book?  That’s a damn foolish to try, but go ahead, it keeps my mind active"
"I was wondering if you could comment on the two companies I am writing about, Triconex and Wonderware?"
"Who?  Never heard of either one!  Wait!  I recall Wonderware.  There was a fellow at a Trade Show demonstrating their product.  They called him the Wizard.  I watched his demonstration and said yes, that company is going somewhere!"

But, who was the Wizard of Wonderware?  Was it Phil Huber, the Wonderware co-founder?   Phil was contacted and said, no, he was called many names, but he was not the wizard.  Wait, he had a suggestion.  The author contacted the number Phil gave him and a very busy man responded.  He was interested in the idea of telling Wonderware's history.  

At a Huntington Beach coffee house, the Wizard drove up in his Harley.  His name was Vince Allen.  He worked for Wonderware in the early days, from 1989 to 1996, and then followed Wonderware executives Jerry Brooks, Phil Huber, and Jim White to other startups.  But, Wonderware was a special experience. 

Vince was born in Germany, son of a career military man who married a woman from Egypt.  Vince was exposed to many cultures and lived in several countries growing up.  How was he remembered as the Wizard by the founder of the PLC?   He had no idea, but thought about it and remembered demonstrating Wonderware software at those early and Dennis Morin inspired spectacular trade shows.  With an audience, his personality lit up and he became the wizard.   The buzz of Wonderware was everywhere at the shows, inspired by Dennis's team.  Jerry Brooks and Don Allen were there to balance some of Dennis more outrageous displays, and especially his insistence on spending to attain nothing less than the artistic purity of his vision.  Chet Tomsick and Richard English set up many of the displays and technical configurations for the shows, but Vince was a natural speaker for a crowd. 

More than one senior Wonderware executive has called Chet Tomsick the real MVP of Wonderware.   The longtime colleague and Boston area friend of Dennis Morin's contributed his field and applications experience to the early installations.  Chet himself deflects glory, merely saying that working for Wonderware in the early days was like working for a cult.  Richard English, who worked for Chet, recalled Chet telling him that you will succeed in your job if you do 80% of the work for your boss, but try to find at least 20% that you enjoy doing. 

Vince Allen was pleased at being remembered as the wizard by Dick Morley.   Today, several startups later, Vince still lives in Huntington Beach with his wife Laurie, and their three teenagers.