CDC SVLOPS Reunion - 2 April 2022

CDC SVLOPS is a handy generic name for a Software Research and Design facility that was once located in Sunnyvale, California. It housed a number of Divisions and Departments of a company based in Minnesota called Control Data Corporation (Thus the "CDC"). The company built supercomputers, and these people worried about the software. Actualy the first home for this branch of the company, was on Page Mill Road in Palo Alto starting in the mid-1960's, then it moved to Sunnyvale (215 Moffett Park Drive) in the early 1970's and stayed there through its peak years until the company as a whole started downsizing as the world of supercomputers changed. The facility moved to smaller quarters on Patrick Henry Drive, thence to Orleans Drive, and finally to Clyde Avenue in Mountain View, when the lights were finally switched off in the early 2000's and the facility was no more. A Tribal Custom is still observed by some of the former denizens of this facility. It is traditionaly held once a year, on the Saturday nearest the birthday of one Sir Donald Nelson (Maximus Cobolius Coboliae) and used to be held at an establishment known as Rosottis. Unfortunately, two unrelated events occurred to cause both a hiatus and a change in venue. A virulent pestilence did strike the land, which put a stop to large gatherings for a couple of years, and Rosottis came under new management who decided that their new business plan did not cater to casual large drop-in groups of questionable origin, and whose primamry motivation was well-lubricated reminiscing about the Good Old Days rather than fine dining. And thus it came to pass, that at last in April of 2022, a new convocation was called to order, and met at The Dutch Goose in Menlo Park. What follows are some pictures of the (by now somewhat frail and elderly) revelers.

Mine Host - Sir Donald himself (aka Smiley) - was there to meet and greet the members as they arrived

2   Sally Warren and Rich Ragan (who is interacting on an iPad with some remote members who attended via Zoom), Jeff Cohen on the end of the table, and you can see the backs of the heads of Fritz and Nomi Trapnell (formerly Nomi Williams)

3  Jeff Cohen, June White, Nomi Trapnell (Williams) and Fritz Trapnell.

4   Ted Brown, Jim Mimmack, Art Beato and David Kern

5  Doug Walls, Ted Brown and Jim Mimmack

6   Janet Joyce sitting opposite Doug Walls, Mark Kauffman leaning over table on right, sitting opposite Jim Mimmack is LaNell Mimmack

7   Don Nelson and Judi Harrison sitting opposite Joanne Pommers and Carolyn Shirck respectively.

8   Jeff Lanam is talking with Leslie White.

9   Don Nelson sitting opposite Joanne Pommers, and Judi Harrison opposite Carolyn Shirck

10   Nomi Trapnell (Williams) (drinking from glass) and Fritz Trapnell talking to Rich Ragan (top of head).   At the next table is Mark Kaufman and his wife Marguerite, then LaNell Mimmack, Janet Joyce, and Bob Farrel at the very end under the TV

11   Ted Brown, Tom Joyce and Bob Farrel

12   Jim Mimmack, Kathy Sharp, and June White

13   Mary Jane Humphries and Doug Walls

14  Jim Light and Art Beato

15   Jim Light and Art Beato

16   Ted Brown and Jorge Serpa

17   Jorge Serpa and Don Nelson

18   The left-hand row - June White, Joanne Pommers, Carolyn Shirck, and Sally Warren. Opposite them are Nomi Trapnell, Judi Harrison, and Marguerite Kaufman

19   The Ladies Contingent (seen in previous photo) viewed from the opposite end. In the far background, Don Nelson and Ted Brown are talking to Jim and LaNell Mimmack.

If you have any comments or corrections you feel should be made to this page, please email me at jitze dot couperus at gmail.com If you would like see some more info on CDC and the sort of world these people worked in, you might enjoy a visit to the pages that can be reached by clicking here.