Robert C. Sprague

Robert C. Sprague (August 2, 1900 – September 27, 1991) was the son of Frank J. Sprague and Harriet Sprague. Sprague founded Sprague Electric (originally Sprague Specialties Company), Quincy, Massachusetts in 1926, and served as president from 1926-1953 and chief executive from 1953-1971. He invented the tone control for radio and the paper capacitor that launched his business. Sprague was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve as Undersecretary to the Air Force in 1953. He first accepted, then declined the position, due to financial difficulties. Education and early career After graduating from The Hotchkiss School in 1918, Robert Sprague went to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis like his father Frank, who was a business associate to Thomas Alva Edison. He later attended the Naval Post Graduate School and completed his graduate program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). While a naval officer he invented the tone control for amplifiers and radio sets. In 1921 he married Florence Antoinette van Zelm. They were married until her death in 1987. Sprague patented the paper condenser (capacitor) and tone control in 1926, and this provided the capital to start a business. Sprague Electric