The death has been announced of Jack Wayman, International CES founder and consumer electronics industry legend. He was 92. Consumer Electronics Association president and CEO, Gary Shapiro said that “the consumer electronics industry has lost a legend”, adding that he had, more personally, lost a great friend and mentor.
Wayman oversaw the evolution of the EIA Consumer Products Division (where he was named its first director in 1963), its $50,000 budget and two employees into the Consumer Electronics Group (CEG) with a $15 million budget and 50 employees. The CEG later became the independent CEA. Wayman is perhaps best known for guiding the association to create and produce the first International CES in 1967, which consisted of 100 exhibitors and 17,000 attendees. The 2014 International CES hosted more than 3,600 exhibitors and 160,000 attendees.
Among Wayman’s career achievements are several victories on the legislative and public policy front that paved the way for the introduction of breakthrough technologies. In addition to his career in the CE industry, Wayman was a proud and decorated US veteran. He served in Europe during WWII as a combat infantry company commander and fought at the Normandy Invasion and the Battle of the Bulge, earning multiple accolades including a Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart with Cluster, and two Presidential Citations, among many others. Last year, Wayman was inducted by the Government of France as a chevalier for his military service.
