Abaco Bahamas,on a Comus Demo 2004

 

 

 

In Memory of Frederick Charles Ihrer III

as Told By Ernie Beidleman

THE METADATA OF YESTERDAY,
 over 50 Years Ago
  
FRED IHRERS WORDS
 Here are some of Freds words
at a 1964 spring joint computer conference in New York, New York.
Computers did not exist as we know them today."

See the Video Below as to a tribute to Fred Charles Ihrer...

 

        Freds Ihrers interest in computers in 1964:

 The Proceedings of the

April 21-23, 1964

 AFIPS,

   American Federation of Information Processing Societies,

      a spring joint computer conference.  

 

 SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THE COORLINATION....of Today and Yesterday

 

                      FREDS WORDS 1964                     

 "The Use of a Computer to Evaluate Computers"

 

TODAYS WORDS 2014,

The use of Computers Data to Evaluate Computers Data,

thus the word of Today,

 METADATA


    1964 (Spring): "The complex problem of evaluating and selecting the optimum systems

 approach for the optimum computer to solve a particular data processing problem, has plagued management since the time that computers came into use for business and scientific data processing."

 

                                    by Fred Ihrer of Comress

NBC NEWS 1978 WITH DAVID BRINKLEY VIDEO ON FRED IHRER, THE INVENTOR OF POS........

Freds final resting place, Burlington, Iowa

 

Fred's Ihrers daughter, Sharon, posted the following on Fred's Facebook the day after his passing:

 

"About 9 weeks ago Dad wrote that once he passed on he wanted to be cremated. He said he didn't want a funeral or memorial service. He said he didn't want an obituary. He said he wanted his ashes to be sent to me and that he wanted them to be spread on the continental divide west of Denver. He said that the spring thaw would move his ashes into Denver where he grew up and eventually into the Mississippi River near the home of his birth (Burlington Iowa)".

Fred Ihrer center in the 1960's with JMA President Tatsuki Mikami

 

 USA &  JAPAN First Software Agreement

 

"Signing of the first franchise agreement for software between the USA (Comress Inc) and Japan (Japan Management Association). Comress President Fred C Ihrer and JMA President Tatsuki Mikami."

     I am writing this memorial for Fred Ihrer, Comus Restaurant Systems & Comus Restaurant Software founder and author of Frederick, Md.

 

     Fred didn't want a Funeral, he didn't want a Memorial Space and he didn't even want an Obituary.

 

     I want to pay tribute to the man who invented and what is used throughout the world today, the concept of using netowrked PC's in hospitality, known today as POS.

 

     A man who gave me a chance to start a new business in Maryland in 1995. I think Fred would actually like this article, even though he was so hard to please, and as we called it, the Ihrer way or, the only way.

 

 

     I want to pay tribute to the man who guided us through software development and technology, 7 days a week, 24 hours per day from 1990 - 2005 and was never too busy for a customer or a dealer.

  

Fred's Ihrers daughter, Sharon, posted the following on Fred's Facebook the day after his passing:

 

"About 9 weeks ago Dad wrote that once he passed on he wanted to be cremated. He said he didn't want a funeral or memorial service. He said he didn't want an obituary. He said he wanted his ashes to be sent to me and that he wanted them to be spread on the continental divide west of Denver. He said that the spring thaw would move his ashes into Denver where he grew up and eventually into the Mississippi River near the home of his birth

(Burlington Iowa)".

  

FRED CHARLES IHRER III

  

The Story

 

     In the spring of 1995, I moved my wife Donna and my kids, Matt and Brian to Baltimore. It was a hard move, the kids so young, they so missed their friends and the place they knew as home. We moved from the Lehigh Valley of Pa. due to a bad economy in that area and lack of restaurants for my business.

 

     I came to Maryland and started a new business in P.O.S. along with the help of Fred Ihrer, founder of Comus Restaurant Systems & Comus Restaurant Software. Fred was a Systems Software Engineer for the Pentagon in 1957. Fred started working for RCA Records in 1959 as a software engineer. He then became President of Comress Inc.,Rockville, Md in 1962. – 1972.

 

        I recently found this article showing Freds interest in computers in 1964:

 

                          The Proceedings of the April 21-23, 1964 AFIPS,

   American Federation of Information Processing Societies,

                       a spring joint computer conference.                        

 "The Use of a Computer to Evaluate Computers"

                                    by Fred Ihrer of Comress

 

    1964 (Spring): "The complex problem of evaluating and selecting the optimum systems approach for the optimum computer to solve a particular data processing problem, has plagued management since the time that computers came into use for business and scientific data processing."

 

     The American Federation of Information Processing Societies (AFIPS) was an umbrella organization of professional societies established on May 10, 1961 and dissolved in 1990. Its mission was to advance knowledge in the field of information science, and to represent its member societies in international forums.

 

     Fred purchased the Comus Inn at Sugar Loaf Mountain in 1972 and started developing Comus Software from the accounting end first. That eventually led to P.O.S. in the bar and dining areas running on 10 key pads on the first 8088 IBM compatible computers, which some of you may remember.

 

     Fred also merged Comress Inc. with NCR Comenten. Fred purchased the Sheraton Potomac Inn in Rockville, Maryland as an owner and operator. Fred built a hotel and conference center that was run by software that he developed.

 

     Fred also started a company called National Guest Systems, a Hotel Software Company that developed, ran and managed the accounting systems for Hotels.

 

     Fred was interviewed by Walter Cronkite of 60 minutes at that time.

 

     Fred developed the first hand held terminal in the 1980's using a Radio Shack Tandy Computer which would be available to take orders at a dining table. This was featured in the Washington Post.

 

     Barbara Bibbiani, Freds assistant at the Sheraton Potomac remembers the following.  Fred perfected a hand-held device for the dining room order entry that he named JASON.  It was the precursor to order entry by computer as we know it today.  I believe his Sheraton was one of the first hotels anywhere to have 'keyless' room entry using a digitized key card instead.  This was featured in the Washington Post.

 

     This was long before Microsoft Windows and Bill Gates. POS Systems were non-existent at that time, nor invented, it was Cash Register Systems.

 

     Fred's background of systems was extensive. Restaurants and Bars fascinated Fred. Fred gave me the opportunity to grow with Comus Restaurant Systems and Comus Restaurant Software starting in the 1990's.

 

Let it be known, that Fred Ihrer invented what is today's Technology

of what we all use daily in restaurants and retail,

Point of Sale.

  

     Fred invented P.O.S., as the terminology definition is known today, no matter what brand P.O.S. system you have, are being marketed today through out the world today. Fred also purchased a restaurant in Washington D.C. He was determined to learn those business's, and he did.

 

     Fred was not the most diplomatic person, but he was all about the business, 7 days a week, 24 hours per day. I traveled all over the country with Fred promoting Comus, from New York, Chicago, California, Las Vegas and many more locations. It was thoroughly enjoyed and never forgotten. Fred befriended all his competition and business associates across the country, and they all respected him.

 

     Fred found his first dealer for Comus Restaurant Systems, in Virginia Beach, Va. Mike Kelly, now of Total Touch Solutions LLC of Virginia Beach. Bud Heinbaugh, of Retail Management Systems, of Philadelphia was the second dealer. Bud found me, I was the third dealer in the country, then located in Allentown, Pa, and then came hundreds more dealers, from New York to Hawaii.

 

      Fred ran training classes across the country with the help of some great employees, like Richard Mader, of Potomac Md., Steve Woolston of Gathersburg, Md., family members and many more. It is so tough working with family in business.

 

     I recently received an email from Bud Heinbaugh and Mike Kelly, hearing of Fred’s passing they had the following to say:

 

Hello Ernie,
I appreciate your sending this to me. I concur all the good comments made about Fred. He was a friend and mentor to all of us during the evolution of POS.

Freds tenacity and understanding was incredible.
Thanks for taking the time to honor such a worthy contributor to our shared experiences.


Best regards,
Bud Heinbaugh

 

Hi Ernie,

     Thanks for sending me this article on Fred. Fred was all of what is stated and what Bud said. He was there for me, all the time. With Freds passing, this is a hard time for me right now. I have lost someone all so close, and now all so far. Fred will be missed by all.

 

Mike Kelly,

Virginia Beach, Va.

 

And in Freds final words, he so states the following:

 

Industry Pioneer and Innovator, Fred Ihrer
Comus Software was founded in 1976 to specifically provide computerized solutions to the restaurant industry. Company founders combine over 40 years software development expertise with 20 years restaurant ownership to deliver a complete, reliable and versatile information management system for the food and beverage industry.

Innovations Introduced by Fred Ihrer

  • 1978: Introduced the first handheld table side terminal
  • 1978: Pioneered the first soft (internal) guest check
  • 1980: Invented the concept of using netowrked PC's, known today as POS
  • 1986: Programmed the first integrated inventory control system
  • 1987: Implemented the first integrated accounting system
  • 1988: Introduced the first POS based time management system
  • 1991: Developed the first integrated frequent dining program

 

 

     Since Fred didn't want to leave a testimonial, a memorial or an obituary, I felt compelled to write one, which he certainly does deserve.

 

 

R.I.P. Fred, you will not be forgotten.

 

Fred Ihrer's Obituary:

 

December 14, 2012

 

     Frederick C. Ihrer, 80, a software developer who designed one of the first “point of sale” systems used in restaurants, died Nov. 10 at Frederick Memorial Hospital.

 

     He had kidney ailments and congestive heart failure, his daughter Sharon River Hansen said.

     Mr. Ihrer, an early software developer for the Pentagon, started a software company, Comress, based in Rockville, in 1962. After his company merged with another in 1972, Mr. Ihrer bought the Comus Inn, a historic country inn and restaurant in northern Montgomery County. He sold it in 1989.

 

     In the 1970s, he developed a system of software for use by restaurant workers, now widely known as “point of sale,” or POS. In 1980, Mr. Ihrer founded Comus Restaurant Systems, a business that developed and marketed software for restaurants. He operated the company until his death.

In the 1970s, he also developed the Sheraton-Potomac Inn in Rockville. He later sold the property.

 

     Frederick Charles Ihrer III was born in Burlington, Iowa, and grew up in Denver. He attended Regis University in Denver.

 

     After coming to Washington in 1957, Mr. Ihrer worked at the Pentagon and, later, for RCA before starting his company. He was a Frederick resident.

His wife of 52 years, Joanne McCarthy Ihrer, died in 2002.

 

     Survivors include six children, Stone Wolfsong of Kona, Hawaii, Ronald J. Ihrer of New Bern, N.C., Sharon River Hansen of Colorado Springs, Kippi Waters of Port Townsend, Wash., and Sheila Froedge and Pia Lily, both of Bowling Green, Ky.; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

 

Ernie Beidleman

 

 

 

 

Comments

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  • Sharon River Hansen (Sunday, May 18 14 11:27 pm EDT)

    He didn't want a memorial but we're making sure he is getting one aren't we? Thanks Ernie!

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/frederick-c-ihrer-software-developer/2012/12/14/09e10588-461c-11e2-8e70-e1993528222d_story.html

  • Sharon River Ihrer Hansen (Friday, January 24 14 03:09 pm EST)

    It's so good to read all of this Ernie. As his daughter, I am touched beyond words.

    I always knew that my Dad was an amazing inventor and pioneer in the software arena. I was always proud to be his daughter.

    I miss him every day.

    Thanks for being such a good friend.

  • Bud Heinbaugh (Monday, January 20 14 07:57 am EST)

    Hello Ernie,

    You have done and exillent job at defining Fred's great contributions to the POS industry, but the memories of his sharing his knowledge and kindness with us will never die.

  • Sharon River Hansen (Ihrer) (Wednesday, November 21 12 10:37 am EST)

    Thank you Ernie for your research and testimony. It is clear that you have great respect for my father. I am very proud of him. Thank you kindly.

  • Kippi Waters (Wednesday, November 21 12 01:59 am EST)

    Ernie, this is so thoughtful and kind of you. Thank you so much for this sweet, well written and heart-felt memorial to my dad.

  • Mike Kelley (Tuesday, November 20 12 08:53 pm EST)

    Fred was an amazing man! For those of us privileged enough to have know him, consider ourselves lucky. I will never forget the time spent with him on our many trips together and always looked forward
    to the next. I still have out almost 20 Comus systems I service. The oldest is almost 30 years and still running..what other pos system can say that! I will miss him greatly and he has forever left a
    positive mark on my life...Mike Kelley

  • Pia ( Ihrer) Vincnet (Saturday, November 17 12 03:17 pm EST)

    Thank you so much for this great tribute to dad. It has touched many hearts.

  • kim (Saturday, November 17 12 11:16 am EST)

    I have to say what a nice write up on Fred, I had no idea about his background and all his accomplishments!