John R. Patrick

John Russell Patrick (born August 5, 1945) is a business executive and author in the information technology industry. During his tenure as a vice president at IBM, he helped launch the IBM ThinkPad and the OS/2 operating system and was later an influential force behind IBM’s early adoption of the Internet and World Wide Web.

Early life and education Patrick was born in Salem, New Jersey, the son of Robert V. Patrick and Virginia Russell. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Lehigh University in 1967, a Master of Science in management science from the University of South Florida in 1971, and a Bachelor of Laws from LaSalle Extension University in 1973. He served in the United States Army from 1969 to 1971.

He earned a doctor of health administration degree at the University of Phoenix in March 2014.

Career IBM years Patrick joined IBM in 1967 and spent the first half of his employment there in various sales, marketing and management positions. In 1992 he became Vice President of Marketing for Personal Systems and in 1995 was named Vice President of Internet Technology, a position he held until his retirement in 2001.

In 1982, Patrick was one of the developers of the IBM Credit Corporation; that became the largest computer leasing company in the world. In 1992 he helped form the IBM PC Company that launched the IBM ThinkPad. In February 1993 he was named marketing vice president for the IBM unit that launched the OS/2 operating system.

In 1995 Patrick led the team that created IBM’s intranet and the IBM.com website. Patrick also formed an internal group called "WebAhead," which pioneered a Java-based corporate directory and an instant messaging system. He was also instrumental in creating alphaWorks, to expand the use of the Internet, both within the company and to serve as a model for other companies. Fast Companys story “IBM’s Grassroots Revival” said, “Patrick wrote a manifesto called ‘Get Connected.’ It identified six principles that would reshape industries and reinvent companies. ‘Get Connected’ got results and Patrick turned that energy into a movement.” “R&D Stars to Watch | Industry Week" named Patrick among thirty individuals who drive innovation and provide the initial spark to economic growth. Business 2.0 named him as one of the industry’s most intriguing minds. In 2008 he was named an IEEE Fellow “in recognition of his leadership in technical and policy development of the World Wide Web.” Nuvance Health Digital Patient Experience Executive Committee