The Cable Center Edward D. Breen Technical Archives Ribbon Cutting

On December 11th, The Cable Center celebrated the official ribbon cutting of the “Edward D. Breen Technical Archives” and the “Breen Room” meeting lounge. The ribbon cutting was commemorated with a reception and celebration of the many improvements made possible through a generous donation from Ed Breen.

These improvements focused on enhancing the overall presentation of the collections, including additional displays and display furniture, digital and print signage, large prints of historic photos, monitors for educational slideshows, enhanced lighting, reorganization of the collection, and the creation of the Breen Room lounge.

This project would not have been possible without the efforts of The Cable Center’s librarian, Brain Kenny, and Cable Center champion, Cathy Wilson, recently retired founder and publisher of Broadband Library, and with expert assistance from Ron Hranac, cable industry guru, Technical Leader at Cisco and active member of SCTE•ISBE since 1979.

For 10 years, Ed Breen was the worldwide sales point person for set top boxes. His own history is tied up in these boxes and is now displayed in the technical archive’s set top box aisle, along with the rest of the engineering and tech side of the industry. The collection as a whole tells the story of the industry from a hands-on perspective, through artifacts, highlighting the prominence of innovation and creation. Ed Breen’s investment helps The Cable Center to preserve, expand, and share the industry’s rich history.

For more information on the Edward D. Breen Technical Archives and the Breen Room, or to set up a tour, please contact bkenny@cablecenter.org.

Courtesy of The Cable Center; Photos by Paul Weinrauch