Year Inducted: 1993
Otis William Bynum was born in Oneonta, Alabama in 1902. He received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Alabama in 1924 and a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Auburn University in 1930. Although he spent the remainder of his career away from his native state, he has had an immense impact on the entire nation, returning to Alabama for retirement.
In 1930, air conditioning was a figment of the imagination of Dr. Willis H. Carrier. As a young engineer, Bill Bynum joined the Carrier Corporation and worked closely with Dr. Carrier, eventually providing the engineering and management expertise that resulted in a $25 billion heating, ventilating and air conditioning industry. The first commercial air conditioning system was sold to the St. Clair Inn in St. Clair, Michigan. Later the first residential unit went to the Horlick family in Racine, Wisconsin. His greatest emphasis, though, was in the production of equipment that would pro- vide for the air conditioning of buildings and the environmental control of manufacturing spaces such as textile mills where temperature and humidity were very important for the effective and efficient processing of cloth. Under his management, Carrier designed, manufactured and sold the equipment, contracted and supervised its installation. American and foreign industry must truly be grateful to the efforts of this outstanding engineer.
Managerially, Bill Bynum was second to none. He attended the first board of directors meeting in 1930 when Carrier incorporated and was there at the last one in 1979 when the company was sold to United Technologies. Mr. Bynum rose through the ranks to become president, chairman, director and chief executive officer of the corporation. A strong supporter of re- search and development, he believed firmly in the pursuit of technical perfection. It was not until 1983 that he ceased his active involvement in this industry.
Mr. Bynum has been widely acclaimed and honored by education and industry. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Alabama in 1957, received Auburn University’s Algernon Sidney Sullivan Award in 1964 and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Syracuse University in 1966. He was selected as the Outstanding Man in Indus- try in 1965 and in 1975 the Carrier Corporation dedicated the Otis William Bynum Education Center in his honor. He has also been heavily involved in professional and civic organizations, serving as Eastern Vice President and Director of the National As- sociation of Manufacturers and as a member of the National Industrial Conference Board. He was a director of the Syracuse YMCA, Chairman of the Boy’s Club Board and served in numerous other organizations.
Mr. Bynum can truly be called a pioneer, changing forever the American standard of living. He and his wife, Margaret, have two sons and four grandchildren.
