Ken W. Kolence

Co-founder of Boole & Babbage, the first software product firm in Silicon Valley, Kolence is recognized as a software industry pioneer and computer executive. He received his Master's degree in Math, with a "Specialty in Digital Computers" from the University of Illinois, where he wrote and ran programs on the Illiac I, which convinced him to make a career in computing. He has served as the maintenance and operations head on the UNIVAC for the Navy.

He worked setting up the operations organization and scheduling procedures for the engineering programming efforts at RCA; after which he worked at North American Aviation developing process design and instrumentation time. Kolence then joined Control Data Corporation to work on integrated management and design processes. He co-founded K & K Associates with Dave Katch, which was soon renamed Boole & Babbage, the first software company in Silicon Valley.