| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Traded as | NYSE: HRS S&P 500 Component |
| Industry | Conglomerates |
| Founded | 1895 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Florida |
| Key people | William M. Brown, President and CEO |
| Products | Defense and Communications |
| Revenue | US$5925 billion (2011)[1] |
| Operating income | US$587 billion (2011)[1] |
| Net income | US$587 billion (2011)[1] |
| Total assets | US$6173 billion (2011)[1] |
| Total equity | US$2512 billion (2011)[1] |
| Employees | 16900 (2011)[1] |
| Divisions | RF Communications, Integrated Network Solutions, Government Communications Systems |
| Website | www.harris.com |
Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) is a Florida-based international communications equipment company that produces wireless equipment, electronic systems, and both terrestrial and spaceborne antennas for use in the government, defense, and commercial sectors. It is also the largest private-sector employer in Brevard County, Florida (~6400 of 15000+ company-wide). The company was the parent of Intersil (Harris Semiconductor). Most of the numerous wireless start-ups in South Brevard County were founded and are staffed by former Harris Corporation engineers and technicians. The company's Digital Telephone Systems (DTS) division was sold to Teltronics.
It is one of the top 100 federal contractors.[2]
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The "Harris Automatic Press Company" was founded in Niles, Ohio in 1895. They spent the next 60 years developing lithographic processes and printing presses before acquiring Intertype Corporation and Gates Radio, once a major producer of broadcast electronics, in 1957, expanding their reach into broadcasting and typesetting. In 1959, they acquired PRD Electronics of Brooklyn, New York, gaining microwave technology. In 1967, they merged with Radiation, Inc. of Melbourne, Florida, a developer of antenna, integrated circuit, and modem technology used in the space race: the semiconductor business that later became Intersil in 1999 was born of this development, and the company headquarters was moved from Cleveland to Melbourne in 1978. In 1969, Harris Corporation acquired RF Communications and Farinon, furthering its microwave assets. The printing operations were sold off in 1983 and are now known as GSS Printing Equipment. GSS Printing Equipment later acquired Lanier Worldwide, which itself was spun off from Harris Corporation in the late 1990s.
In the late 1980s, Harris bought the semiconductor division of RCA after GE's acquisition of RCA, later selling the same to Texas Instruments in the later 1990s or very early 2000s. TI still (as of Sept. 2006) makes the CD4000 family of CMOS logic chips originally offered by RCA and acquired by TI through Harris.
In 2005, the corporation spent $870 million on research and development.[3]
In January 2011 Harris opened its Calgary, Alberta avionics operation, Harris Canada Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Harris Corporation. The new facility's operations include among others the support of the work to be completed under the company's six-year, $273 million (CAD) services contract with the Government of Canada for the CF-18 Avionics Optimized Weapon System Support (OWSS) program.[4]
| Name | Title | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Alfred S. Harris | President | 1895 – 1947 |
| Vernon Mitchell | 1947 – 1955 | |
| George S. Dively | Chairman & CEO | 1955 – 1972 |
| Richard B. Tullis | Chairman & CEO | 1972 – 1978 |
| Richard B. Tullis | Chairman & CEO | 1972 – 1978 |
| Joseph A. Boyd | Chairman & CEO | 1978 – 1987 |
| John T. Hartley | Chairman & CEO | 1987 – June 1995 |
| Phillip W. Farmer | Chairman, CEO & President | July 1995 – January 2003 |
| Howard L. Lance | Chairman, CEO & President | February 2003 – October 2011 |
| William M. Brown | CEO & President | November 2011 – present |
Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets worldwide. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has approximately $6 billion of annual revenue and more than 16,900 employees — including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists.[1]
RF Communications[5] is the leading global supplier of secure tactical radio communications for military, defense and other government organizations. The Falcon family of software-defined radio systems encompasses manpack, vehicular, handheld and personal-role radio applications. Falcon III is touted as the next-generation of multiband, multimission tactical radios that enable networked battlefield communications through their wideband networking capability. Harris Public Safety and Professional Communications[6] designs and builds communications networks and products for customers in the public safety, civilian, federal agencies, utility, transportation and transit markets. Products range from VIDA networks, to P25IP and OpenSky wireless communications systems for first responders to VIDA Broadband solutions for Intelligent Transportation Systems. With the combination of IP (Internet Protocol) -based VIDA networks and the Unity XG-100 multiband portable radio, Harris PS&PC claims to be the industry leader in end-to-end interoperability.
Government Communications Systems develops, produces, integrates, and supports systems for defense, national intelligence, federal and civil customers. It serves a diverse customer base including the U.S. Department of Defense and national intelligence agencies, as well as Federal civilian agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, Census Bureau, Department of Justice, Department of State, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Government Communications Systems serves as the advanced technology engine for the company’s diverse business portfolio and is composed of three customer focused businesses—Defense Programs,[7] National Intelligence Programs,[8] Civil Programs[9] .
Integrated Network Solutions, which includes Broadcast Communications, supplies technology solutions to TV stations and networks; cable, satellite, telecommunications and other media content providers; government customers; and sports and entertainment organizations.
Below is a list of all Harris acquisitions, starting in 1995.