An Introduction to Monroe

If you haven’t heard of Monroe, you’re not alone. When you hear Monroe, you might think of James Monroe, the 5th President of the United States and the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States. Or your mind might immediately gravitate to actress Marilyn Monroe; one of the most popular “sex symbols” of the 1950s, famous for playing “dumb blonde” characters and singing her sultry Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy. The practical may conjure memories of Monroe Shocks & Struts. The Monroe referenced in this blog is none of the above; rather we’ll be discussing Monroe Systems for Business.

Monroe is the oldest calculator company. It was founded in 1912 and in that year introduced the first commercial calculator. If you’re a history enthusiast you might want to visit our "Our Story" page to hear from Frank Stephen Baldwin, inventor, and Jay Randolph Monroe, marketer/founder, in their words, taken from past interviews.

It’s difficult to imagine what the world would be like today were it not for that first Monroe calculator. This calculator was the culmination of the inventive spirit of Frank Stephen Baldwin and his design from 1875 combined with the marketing skill and practical ideas of Jay R. Monroe. Without this seed and the unparalleled string of “firsts” in the calculator world, would we have achieved the awesome advancements we take for granted today? Or when and where would office automation be today?

As seen on our new site, today’s Monroe is more than just a calculator company and more than just products. Jay R. Monroe instilled a rich, yet extremely simple approach to his business philosophy: provide superior products combined with outstanding customer service, or as some call it: “The Monroe Spirit.” The unprecedented Monroe Spirit continues today, ensuring every customer receives quality products created by true professionals, and supported by a knowledgeable, experienced, and tenured customer service team.