Arnie Frisch

Arnold (Arnie) Frisch was a graduate of the stellar Peter Stuyvesant High School and Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute (now part of New York University).

Arnie, along with Morris Engelson (1935 - ) and Larry Weiss (1936-2018)], started Pentrix Corporation in 1962 in Brooklyn.

Pentrix made spectrum analyzer plug-ins for Tektronix oscilloscopes. In the early 1960s, Tektronix made little except oscilloscopes and a few related products. Spectrum analyzers were different; designed to show the amplitude of a signal vs its frequency, as opposed to amplitude vs time.

Tek had almost no experience in the radio frequency world of spectrum analyzers and needed to avoid becoming a one-product company.

Timeline:

• In April 1964, Tektronix bought Pentrix for 30,002 shares of Tektronix stock, and the three New Yorkers joined Tektronix at the Sunset South Plant, Bldg 81 [45.5082 -122.7750 (original building has been replaced)] in June 1964. It was a culture jolt for both.

• In Sept 1969, Arnie is Program Manager of Spectrum Analyzers & Generators on the third floor of Bldg 50 [Technical Center (45.49906 -122.82317)]

• In November 1979, Arnie was in “Staffing Staff” in Bldg 55 in probably in preparation for starting a new business unit, CBI (Computer Based Instruments).

• In March 1986, Arnie was listed as CBI Administration in Bldg 02 [(45.49308 -122.81496)]

• In July 1987, Arnie was back in Bldg 50, third floor, in Tek Labs Staff.

• In Aug 1989, he was in ESL Engineering, still in Bldg 50. ESL is Electronic Systems Laboratory

• In Mar 1991, Arnie was listed as being in ESL Engineering.

• In Jul 1994, Sep 1995, Jan 1996, and Aug 1998 he was listed in Bldg 50, but the these directories no longer listed responsibilities along with phone numbers. That is my last phone directory. However, Arnie did not leave electronics. He went on to work at Intel on advanced ICs.

• Arnie Frisch, a legend around Tektronix died December 12, 2019.