Colombia mourns the loss of Edward Botwinick’56cc, BS’58 and LDEO board members who died on January 24, 2025. Botwinick is an IT entrepreneur, an IT entrepreneur, a pioneer in the field of time division, and a strong supporter of Columbia University and the powerful Columbia University and Columbia football.
Botwinick received his Bachelor of Science in Physics from Columbia College in 1956 and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1958. He began working for American semiconductors in 1958 and co-founded Silicon Transistor Company in 1960. From 1963 to 1967, he served as president and major share of quality and tailored quantum types and scales.
In 1969, Botwinick helped establish the data communications company TimePlex, Inc. , the company becomes a leading provider of T1-based networks. For decades, T-1-based networks have been the industry standard for transmitting voice and data due to their high capacity. At the time, Botwinick worked at Goldman Sachs, where he served as Vice President of Investment Research from 1967 to 1977. From 1977 to 1988, he served as chairman and CEO of TimePlex, overseeing a growing array of T-1 multiplexers that allow multiple signals from multiple sources that can merge and transmit a single communication line.
In 1988, TimePlex was acquired by Unisys Corp., and Botwinick served as Senior Vice President and President of the Unisys Networks division. He retired from UniSys in 1989. In 1991, Botwinick founded Videoserver Inc., a producer of telecommunications and network equipment, serving as chairman and CEO of the company until 1993. After a successful career as a serial entrepreneur, he became Botwinick-Wolfence-Wolfensohensohn finders the Firstance the Fachernike, who became his father.
“Ed cared very much about the future of the planet and supported Lamont’s basic Earth and ocean research mission for decades. He also had an irresistible, unafraid sense of humor that was never marked and always happy.”
– Maureen Raymo, Dean Emerita, Dean of Columbia Climate School
Botwinick, a university trustee from 1988 to 1994, sat on the board of directors of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and enthusiastically advocated its mission. “Ed’s support for the Observatory has enabled many of our scientists to continue their important work in Earth, ocean and atmospheric science, and we have benefited from his years of thoughtful leadership and guidance,” said Steven Goldstein, director of the Earth Observatory at Lamont-Doherty. “He has always been an admired member of our community.”
“Ed is very concerned about the future of the planet and supports Lamont’s basic Earth and ocean research missions for decades,” said Maureen Raymo, co-founded by Dean Emerita, Columbia’s climate school. “He also has an irresistible, ungodly humorous sense that has never been marked and always entertained.”
Botwinick is also the former vice chairman of the University Engineering Committee. In 1996, Colombia’s project was named Botwinick’s multimedia e-learning facility: Botwinick Gateway Laboratory in the Seeley W. Mudd Engineering Building.
Botwinick is an avid pilot with extensive Colombian connections. His father, Benjamin Botwinick, graduated from Columbia Business School in 1926, and his sister, Elaine R. Wolfensohn, came from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 1961.
