Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Paciolan Systems records
6124
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Paciolan Systems records
Creator:
Kleinberger, Jane C.
Creator:
McQuade, Thomas J.
Creator:
McQuade, Donna
Creator:
Paciolan Systems
Creator:
Thomas, Cary
Identifier/Call Number: 6124
Physical Description:
11.5 Linear Feet
20 boxes + computer and keyboard
Date (inclusive): 1978-2020
Abstract: Paciolan Systems, Inc. began as a small computer software development company specializing in ticketing for college athletics.
In its past four decades of history, the company grew, developed, and merged with other companies-- and now is once again
known as Paciolan as part of Learfield. Paciolan's role in Learfield is providing ticketing, fundraising, marketing, and
analytics solutions to athletic and entertainment events.
Paciolan's earlier history is documented in this collection of records preserved by Jane [Couch] Kleinberger, Thomas McQuade,
and other founders of the company. The records consist of administrative manuals, client contracts, industry newsletters,
financial information, and company scrapbooks providing a snapshot of a small corporation in its formative years. An early
(1989) Wyse computer terminal and keyboard are included in the collection.
Language of Material:
English
.
Paciolan Systems was a small computer software development company cofounded by two innovative entrepreneurs, Thomas McQuade
and Cary Thomas. It was in 1980 that San Diego State called upon them as contract programmers to purchase the ticketing software
they had previously written and installed for the University of Southern California, as well as have them program accounting
modules for them. At that point, the decision was made to incorporate and name the company after the father of accounting.
Since most business accounting relies on the double-entry method, it was thought proper in naming the corporation to credit
the author of the first treatise on double-entry bookkeeping, Luca Paciola. This remarkably modern man published his work
in 1494.
With Cary Thomas acting in a sales role as well as design, and Thomas McQuade as the chief designer and programmer, two more
employees were hired within the first year. The first two employees—Jane Couch and Kathleen Kern—performed quality assurance,
technical writing, customer installations, training, and support. Cary Thomas left in 1981 to start his own venture and returned
in 1984 as PSI's one and only sales person until 1988. Also part of PSI's earliest staff were Brian J. Gladish and Donna
McQuade
In 1982 Paciolan entered into a contract with USC to develop and implement a campus-wide financial system using the Athletics
Business Office software as a base. And thus a new corporation was formed: Paciolan Financial Systems.
At the time, Paciolan's principal product was a computer system for university athletics (The Athletics System). The Athletics
System included packages for Ticketing, Accounting and Budgeting, Purchasing, Payables, Receivables, Payroll, Support Group,
Sports Information, Financial Aid, Academic Eligibility, Strength Training, Summer Camps, Recruiting, Scouting, Athletics
Management, and Inventory Control. And because Paciolan was chiefly associated with university athletics, it had its own
mascot—an alley cat named Howard Knockwurst, from the unofficial School of Hard Knocks. (Aside from its alley cat logo, Paciolan
also created a more formal logo—the Paciolohedron.) Besides USC, Paciolan's earliest clients consisted of San Diego State
University, the University of Illinois, the University of Washington, and the University of Nebraska.
Thomas McQuade was a highly influential personality of the company. His world view was influenced by the economics philosopher
Andrew Joseph Galambos. In the early years, the company employees were encouraged to attend classes which taught this philosophy
that featured a heavy emphasis on free market principles and individual responsibility and effort. Someone who puts forth
a large effort should themselves receive the fruits of their labor. This philosophy led to Paciolan's development of the
Royalty Distribution (RD) system. Each employee received an advance on a base salary. All the revenues that came into the
company from sales or maintenance were then appropriated to those individuals within the company that had a part in bringing
in that revenue. In addition, 10% of the sale price of every software product that was sold went back to the designers,
programmers, and technical writers. A certain percentage of the maintenance revenue went to the account manager who supported
that client. Commissions were shared by sales reps with those who had a part in assisting the sale (including people external
to the company)—providing leads, demos, cultivating the customer, and negotiating the close. However, as the company grew
and matured, the system became unworkable, and by 1989 McQuade and Jane Couch (Kleinberger) declared all the advances paid
in full and switched to a salary and bonus pay plan, linked to employee performance reviews every six months.
Over the years, Paciolan sold a few institutions its accounting packages without Ticketing, but Ticketing remained the mainstay
of the organization. Paciolan's first venture out of the athletic ticketing marketplace was in 1986 when they automated
the first of three racetracks owned by the International Speedway Corporation—Daytona Raceway; many other racetracks then
became automated. This was quickly followed in 1988 by another diversification—PSI modified the Ticketing system so that
it would fit the needs of the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. In 1989-90, PSI developed and installed a new product,
Ticket Reservations, at Atlantis Submarines of Hawaii.
Since that time, Paciolan has gone through buy-outs, mergers, subsidiaries, etc. involving Ticketmaster New Ventures Holdings,
Inc.; Freeway Merger Sub, Inc., etc. In 2004, Comcast Spectacor made an equity investment in Paciolan and acquired the right
to use its technology platform. In 2010, the company acquired the remaining percentage of Paciolan from a subsidiary of Live
Nation Entertainment and became sole owner of Paciolan's ticketing platform and other technology.
In 2015, Comcast Spectacor unified the business of its three long-standing and renowned divisions—Global Spectrum, Ovations
Food Services, and Paciolan into one brand: Spectra. Spectra then consisted of three divisions: Venue Management, Food Services
and Hospitality, and Ticketing and Fan Engagement. In 2017 the leading college sports marketer, Learfield, acquired Spectra's
Ticketing and Fan Engagement division—Paciolan—from Comcast Spectacor and decided that the division would once again be known
as Paciolan. As of 2017, Dave Butler is the Chief Executive Officer of Paciolan and Kim Damron its President and Chief Operating
Officer. Jane (Couch) Kleinberger, one of the original founders of Paciolan and co-founder of Spectra Ticketing and Fan Engagement,
has remained with Paciolan for the past 37 years. She served as the company's President from 1992 to 2000 when she assumed
the position of CEO. Though she retired in 2004, Kleinberger returned in 2005.
The collection consists of 20 boxes of records documenting the history of Paciolan Systems Inc. and its evolution through
the years into Comcast Spectacor's ticketing division known as Spectra, and then to Learfield's ticketing and fan engagement
division-- and once again known as Paciolan. The records include newsletters, users meeting booklets, administration and
training manuals, photographs, scrapbooks, and stakeholder documentation.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
[Box/folder no. or item name], Paciolan Systems records, Collection no. 6124, , Special Collections, USC Libraries, University
of Southern California
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Thomas J. McQuade and Jane C. Kleinberger, July 6, 2016.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Accounting -- Computer programs -- Archival resources
Bookkeeping -- Computer programs -- Archival resources
Computer programs -- Archival resources
Computer software -- Archival resources
Corporations -- Investor relations -- United States -- Archival resources
Corporation reports
Newsletters
Printed ephemera
Scrapbooks
Tickets
Kleinberger, Jane C. -- Archives
McQuade, Thomas J. -- Archives
Paciolan Systems -- Archives
Comcast Corporation -- Archival resources
Learfield Sports -- Archival resources
National Association of Women Business Owners (U.S.) -- Archives
Pacioli, Luca, approximately 1445-1517 -- Archives
Thomas, Cary -- Archives