Tom Egan

Thomas Ray Egan (born May 19, 1951 in East St. Louis, Illinois; died August 19, 2005 in Birmingham) was the co-sysop of America On-Line and The Matrix BBSes and an electronics engineer.

Egan was one of three boys born to Thomas W. and Bernice M. Egan. The family came to the Birmingham district in 1961. Egan graduated from Hueytown High School in 1969. Upon graduation, he joined the Navy, serving as a Seabee in battalion MCB74. This included a six month tour in Vietnam, where he was a heavy equipment operator.

After his discharge, Egan took a job with South Central Bell and later Radio Shack. He then became a regional nuclear engineer with General Electric's Medical Division. That job had him doing work at hospitals across the southeast. Egan later took a job in the Information Technology Department of Superior Metal Products.

Egan bought his first computer as a kit which he assembled himself in 1975. He continued learning about and buying personal computers over the years. He met Rocky Rawlins at a Radio Shack User's Group meeting. From their friendship, he become the co-sysop of Birmingham BBS. When the latter merged with America On-line around October 1988, he became co-sysop of America On-Line and continued in that role when it became The Matrix. He was also sysop of G.E. WINS, a private BBS, during some of his years at General Electric.

In addition to his computer and BBS hobbies, Egan earned his pilot's license.

Egan died in 2005, survived by his two brothers. He was buried at Forest Grove Memorial Gardens near his parents.

References

• Egan, Tom. (July 1988). "Life in the Old Days." Birmingham Telecommunications News.
• Egan, Tom. (August 1988). "History Repeats Itself." Birmingham Telecommunications News.
• Mohney, Chris. (May 1989). "Profile on Tom Egan." Birmingham Telecommunications News.
• "Egan, Thomas Ray [obituary]." (August 21, 2005). The Birmingham News. Page 22-A.