Kenneth Pontikes Founder of Comdisco Rosemont, Illinois 1962 Marketing

Kenneth Pontikes embodied the American Dream, rising from a Greek grocer’s son to become a multi-millionaire through his innovative business ideas and practices.  In 1969 when Pontikes formed Comdisco, the used computer market was virtually non-existent, but his six years of experience as an IBM computer salesman helped Comdisco enter the new market of leasing and selling used computers.  Comdisco became the world’s largest firm in its field.

Pontikes was an active member on the College of Business and Administration External Advisory Board and chaired the College’s Time for Pride capital campaign which benefited over 2,400 business students.  Pontikes’ $1 million endowment made possible the Pontikes Center for Management of Information located on the second floor of Rehn Hall.  He was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the College of Business and Administration in 1986 and honored by Beta Gamma Sigma with the 1988 Medallion for Entrepreneurship.  SIUC awarded Pontikes an honorary doctorate in 1991.

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