Courtesy of TCU
We will soon say goodbye to a giant in Fort Worth history.
John Roach, a pillar of this city as a civic and business leader, and former chairman of the TCU Board of Trustees, died Sunday at age 83.
“I am deeply saddened to have lost a dear friend and longtime supporter of mine today, John Roach,” said former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price on Facebook. “John was known as Mr. Fort Worth for his impact on business and philanthropy throughout North Texas. John worked tirelessly to make Fort Worth a better place for over 50 years. I offer my most sincere condolences to John’s family and to all those who loved him.”
Roach was a self-made man who followed in the footsteps of the likes of Carter, Tandy, and Justin as one with a single-minded dedication to servant leadership in his city.
Roach joined the Tandy Corporation as general manager of computer services in 1967. In the 1970s, he led Tandy as a pioneer in the microcomputer industry as a visionary, recognizing the personal computer’s mass market appeal, as well as its impact on society. He played a key role in developing the TRS-80, a leading entry in the personal computer market. In 1983, the company introduced the RadioShack Model 100 laptop, the first in the industry.
He succeeded Charles Tandy as CEO in 1981, at 42 becoming one of the youngest CEOs in the country. Roach added the title of chairman in 1983. He held both positions until retiring in 1999.
Roach steered Tandy and RadioShack through an emerging tech market and Tandy’s evolving place in it. He encountered critics, coming under fire from some analysts and shareholders for his attempts to enlarge the business. Striking out in computer manufacturing, research and development and retail concepts led to massive write-offs and a lagging stock price.
Yet, upon his retirement in 1999, the company’s stock price was near a historic high on the weight of having fashioned alliances with national suppliers such as Sprint and Compaq Computer.
During his tenure, Tandy revenues grew from about $1 billion to nearly $5.4 billion in 1997.
Roach leveraged his role as CEO of one of the nation’s largest tech companies to make advances at his alma mater, TCU, where he served as chairman of the Board of Trustees. Roach was an advocate for increased funding for technology and learning and led the campaign to build a $25 million technology center.
During his service as chairman, TCU’s endowment more than doubled to roughly $1 billion, placing it among the top 40 of the nation’s colleges and universities, according to the school. A fund-raising campaign, spearheaded by Roach, realized more than $126 million, according to a bio published by TCU.
The John V. Roach Honors College at TCU was opened in 2009, funded by a $2.5 million gift from Paul and Judy Andrews.
John Vinson Roach II was born in 1938 in Stamford. He moved with his family to Fort Worth when he was 4. After World War II, his father operated a small neighborhood grocery store. In his youth, Roach worked in the store after school doing a little of everything, from stocking shelves to sweeping floors to handling money.
“I had hard-working parents, and certainly an exceptionally determined mother,” he said in the TCU biography. “I think if I had a role model it was of a strong family based upbringing.”
He earned a degree in physics and math from TCU and two years later returned there for a master’s degree in business administration.
Roach also was the driving force for the founding of the Tandy Technology Scholars Program, which rewards teachers and students who stand out as leaders in math and science.
In addition to his service on the board at TCU, Roach served as a board member for the TCU Neeley School of Business Board of Visitors, the Van Cliburn Foundation, and the Fort Worth Executive Roundtable.