HPE will focus "FORWARD" not Backward

We are in receipt of "the Answer"--not the one we sought, but sometimes ambiguity is the worst thing.  Here is the response to a proposal to stage a Celebration Day for the 50th anniversary of the first HP computer, the HP 2116A, launched on November 7, 1966 at the Fall Joint Computer Conference (sigh, and a moment of silence to honor the dead)....

The proposal was to have the IEEE Silicon Valley History Committee combine with HP at the Computer History Museum to fete the first computer along with five or six key milestones for HP computing along the way--this to be timed with the anticipated HP CEO biographical book by Burgelman and McKinney next year, and the assention of the Hewlett papers at Stanford Library.

The reply, sent to Ned Barnholt, CEO emeritus for Agilent, when it spun out of HP in 1999:

Ned, as you're aware, we're in the middle of separating HP into two companies.  With my crazy workload, I sometimes have trouble responding to emails as fast as I'd like.

I took a look at your original message to Meg.  While the idea is

intriguing, Hewlett Packard Enterprise will focus its marketing and PR

efforts on the company's future (in particular, products, services and

especially, customer solutions).  

While acknowledging HP's history is always important (we celebrated HP's 75th anniversary last year), the push in 2016 will be forward looking, so I don't believe a larger 50th celebration of HP computers would be a good fit next year.  We're going to pass on the opportunity....

I hope you're doing well.

Best regards,

Henry

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Henry Gomez

Executive Vice President,

Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Hewlett-Packard Company