Angus Tait facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Angus Tait
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Bronze bust of Sir Angus Tait as part of the Twelve Local Heroes sculpture
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| Born | 22 July 1919 Oamaru, New Zealand
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| Died | 7 August 2007 (aged 88) Christchurch, New Zealand
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| Occupation | Electronics innovator, philanthropist and businessman |
Sir Angus McMillan Tait (born July 22, 1919 – died August 7, 2007) was a brilliant New Zealand inventor and business leader. He was known for his amazing work in electronics, especially in radio communication.
Contents
Who Was Sir Angus Tait?
Angus Tait was a New Zealander who loved electronics from a young age. He grew up in Oamaru and later became a very successful businessman. He founded a company that became a world leader in making mobile radio equipment.
Early Life and Wartime Service
- Angus Tait was fascinated by electronics as a child.
- After high school at Waitaki Boys' High School, he worked in a friend's radio shop.
- During World War II, he served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Royal Air Force.
- He taught others about radar in Britain, which was a very important technology at the time.
Building a Business
After the war, Angus Tait started designing and building mobile radio equipment. This is like the walkie-talkies or two-way radios used by police or emergency services.
- His first company didn't succeed, but he didn't give up!
- In 1969, he started a new company called Tait Electronics Ltd.
- This company is now known as Tait Radio Communications and is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.
- His company became a global leader in mobile radio technology.
- He insisted on keeping his factories in New Zealand.
- About 95% of his company's products were sold to 160 different countries.
Awards and Recognition
Sir Angus Tait received many important awards for his contributions:
- In 1992, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This was for his great work in manufacturing and exporting.
- In 1996, he was added to the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame. This honors people who have made a big difference in business.
- In 1998, he won the IEEE Ernst Weber Engineering Leadership Recognition. This award is for leaders in engineering.
- In 1999, he was made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM). This means he was given the title "Sir" for his services to technology, manufacturing, and export.
- In 2003, he won the first-ever New Zealand High Tech Award.
- Today, his company employs over 850 people.
- In 2009, a bronze bust (a sculpture of his head and shoulders) was put outside the Christchurch Arts Centre. This was to remember him as one of the Twelve Local Heroes of Christchurch.
Sir Angus Tait passed away in 2007 when he was 88 years old. He left behind a legacy of innovation and a successful company that continues to connect people around the world.
