Bruce Johnson

Bruce Johnson began his career in the music industry working in the accounting department for Wurlitzer in DeKalb, Illinois.  While on the job he began outlining a computer program that could help with the company’s retail stores.  The more he worked on the program, the more he saw the need to code the program differently than all other software he had seen because of the uniqueness of music retail.  Before completing the task, Bruce learned of the company’s interest in cutting back on their retail operations in order to focus on manufacturing.  With the blessing of his boss and the company president, Bruce left Wurlitzer in 1978 to form his own company.  Retail Data Services Inc., focused on the computer software for music retailers and soon his program was tested in its first store, West Music.  Even decades after the company closed, his programs are still being used throughout the industry.