Finding Aid of the Paciolan Systems records 6124
Jacqueline Morin
USC Libraries Special Collections
2017
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0189
specol@usc.edu
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
.
Historical Background
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.
Scope and Contents
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.
Conditions Governing Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Preferred Citation
[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
Paciolan Newsletters
1982-2001
Box 1, Folder 1
Paciolan Systems Newsletter
1982-1983
Box 1, Folder 3
PSI For Your Information
1989
Box 1, Folder 10-14
Financial Statements
1981-1999
Box 1, Folder 15
Paciolan Systems Character Study
1990
Clients and Client Contracts
1991-2011
Box 1, Folder 16
Client Contract--San Diego State University
1991
Scope and Contents
Data Processing System Purchase Contract
Box 1, Folder 17
Client Contract--University of Nebraska
1992
Scope and Contents
Data Processing System Purchase Contract
Box 1, Folder 18
Client Contract--University of Illinois
1998
Scope and Contents
Software Support and Services Contract
Box 1, Folder 19
System Contract with San Diego Padres
2000-2007
Box 1, Folder 20
College Athletics Product Roadmap for University of Iowa
2011
PACnet Users Meeting Booklets
1985-2016
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of materials generated by and for Paciolan/ Spectra users meetings. They include ticketing users
meeting booklets, software systems enhancement booklets, accounting systems users meeting booklets, PACnet users meeting books,
etc.
Box 2, Folder 1
Ticketing Users Meeting Booklet
1985
Box 2, Folder 2
Ticketing Enhancements Preliminary Document Booklet
1985
Box 2, Folder 3
Ticketing Users Meeting Booklet
1986
Box 2, Folder 4
Ticketing Enhancements Preliminary Document Booklet
1986
Box 2, Folder 5
Ticketing Users Meeting Booklet
1987
Box 2, Folder 6
All Systems Users Meeting Booklet
1987
Box 2, Folder 7
Software Systems Enhancements Booklet
1987
Box 2, Folder 8
Ticketing Users Meeting Booklet
1988
Box 2, Folder 9
Ticketing Users Meeting Booklet
1989
Box 2, Folder 10
Accounting Systems Users Meeting Booklet
1989
Box 2, Folder 11
Systems Operations Users Meeting Booklet
1989
Box 2, Folder 12
Ticketing Users Meeting Booklet
1990
Box 2, Folder 13
Accounting Systems Users Meeting Booklet
1990
Box 2, Folder 14
Systems Operations Users Meeting Booklet
1990
Box 2, Folder 15
Specialty Systems Meeting Booklet
1990
Box 2, Folder 16
Support Group Enhancements Booklet
1990
Box 2, Folder 17
Ticketing Users Meeting Booklet
1991
Box 2, Folder 18
Users Meeting Breakout Sessions Booklet
1991
Box 2, Folder 19
Accounting Users Meeting Booklet
1991
Box 2, Folder 20
Systems Operations Meeting Booklet
1991
Box 3, Folder 1
Users Meeting Booklet (Update)
1993
Box 3, Folder 2
PACnet Users Meeting Resource Materials
1996
Box 3, Folder 3
PACnet Users Meeting Resource Materials
1998
Box 3, Folder 4
PACnet Executive Forum Resource Materials Booklet
2001
Box 3, Folder 5
Executive Forum and Marketing Workshop Brochure
2003
Box 3, Folder 6
PACnet Conference Booklet
2009
Box 3, Folder 7
PACnet Conference Booklet
2010
Box 3, Folder 8
PACnet Conference Booklet
2013
Box 3, Folder 9
PACnet Conference Booklet
2014
Box 3, Folder 10
PACnet Conference Booklet
2015
Box 3, Folder 11
PACnet Conference Booklet
2016
Paciolan Administration Manuals
1981-2007
Box 4, Folder 1
Athletic Department Information System
1981
Box 4, Folder 3
FYI: The Information System Manual [First Edition]
1988
Box 4, Folder 5
Programming Standards
1992
Box 4, Folder 6
PSI: Basic Operations
1994
Box 4, Folder 7
Customer Support Training Manual
1998
Box 4, Folder 8
TX/ SG Reporting Manual
1998
Box 4, Folder 9
System Administrators Manual
1999
Box 4, Folder 10
Customer Support Reference Guide
1998
Box 4, Folder 11
Introduction to TX2 Ticketing Manual
2000
Box 4, Folder 12
Paciolan Executive Summary [Prepared for investment community]
2001
Box 4, Folder 13
System Administration Manual
2003
Box 4, Folder 14
Post-PACnet Training--Reporting with ODBC/Crystal
2006
Box 4, Folder 15
Employee Survey Results
2006-2007
Box 5, Folder 1-4
TX2 Ticketing Reference Manual
1999
Box 5, Folder 5
Online Ticketing Book of Knowledge
circa 2005
Box 5, Folder 11
Business Card File
Scope and Contents
Plastic card case with pocket pages for business cards. All the cards in it are of Paciolan employees with their names, job
titles, and contact information. Included are cards for Thomas McQuade, Cary Thomas, Jane Couch [Kleinberger], William Dodson,
Christine Harding, etc.
Box 5, Folder 14
Sports and Miscellaneous Tickets
1970-2012
Scope and Contents
30 sports and other tickets for the Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, other football and basketball games, some concert and movie tickets.
Box 1, Folder 22
Piece of Cake Award
1992-1997
Scope and Contents
The "Piece of Cake" award was an annual award begun in 1992 with Thomas McQuade as its first recipient. The award was bestowed
upon the Paciolan employee who displayed a spirit of innovation as nominated by his colleagues. This folder does not contain
the actual awards (plaques), but correspondence and news articles regarding it.
Box 5, Folder 12
Holiday Cards from Teams, Clients, and Business Partners
Box 5, Folder 13
Cards and Notes to Jane Kleinberger
Box 5, Folder 15
Paciolan Systems Stationery
Box 8, Folder 1
Jane Kleinberger: National Association of Women Business Owners Awards Luncheon Program
2002 October 25
Box 8, Folder 2
Jane Kleinberger: National Association of Women Business Owners Congratulations Package
2002 October
Box 8, Folder 3
Jane Kleinberger: National Association of Women Business Owners Certificate of Recognition from the California State Senate
[framed]
2002 October 25
Box 13, Folder 2
The Ultimate Calendar
Fiscal 1992
Box 20
Hard Knocks vs. Nebraska Framed Souvenir Ticket
1991
Scope and Contents
Framed souvenir joke ticket for Game 7 of the Hard Knocks vs. Nebraska football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Box 5, Folder 4
Paciolan Preferred Stock Financing Documents
2000
Box 5, Folder 6
5-Year Arts Business Plan by Charles Woodard
2010
Box 5, Folder 7
Positioning Paper Analyzing All Competitors
2009
Box 5, Folder 8
PACnet Attendee List
2011
Box 5, Folder 9
PACnet Internal FAQ Document
2011
Box 5, Folder 10
SB+ Software System Documentation
Box 6, Folder 1
Acquisition of Paciolan Systems, Inc. by Robert F. Brown
1991
Box 6, Folder 2-3
Management Buyout/ Robert F. Brown
1992
Box 6, Folder 4
Acquisition of Paciolan Systems, Inc. by Robert F. Brown [Plaque]
Box 6, Folder 5
Royalty Distribution Program-- Developer's Royalty Agreements
1992-1995
Box 7, Folder 1
Royalty Distribution Program-- General Correspondence and Royalty Statements
1998
Box 7, Folder 2
Paciolan Shareholder Documents, UB/CEDLI Loan Guarantys, PSI-Kern Stock Redemption Agreement
1998
Box 7, Folder 3-5
Paciolan Preferred Stock Financing Documents
2000
Box 7, Folder 6
Paciolan Sale/Merger-- Ticketmaster New Ventures Holdings, Inc. and Freeway Merger Sub, Inc.
2007
Articles and Publications About Paciolan
Box 7, Folder 7
Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal
2007-2010
Box 7, Folder 10
Paciolo Articles and Related Ephemera
2007, 2012
Box 9
Scrapbook #1
1978-1984
Scope and Contents
Materials prepared by Carey E. Thomas and Thomas J. McQuade describing the Ticket Enterprise and Athletic Management (TEAM)
system, its features, and functional capabilities. Documentation manual for the Fund Accounting Subsidiary Ledger System
(FASL). Correspondence and invoices between Paciolan Systems and USC (Jane Couch, Pat Tyner). Bylaws of Paciolan Systems,
Inc. Short history of Luca Pacioli. Interviews with key members of the Ultimate Corporation (John Keogh, Ted Sabarese).
Correspondence from the athletics department at San Diego State University, Paciolan Systems newsletters, hardware and software
price lists, photographs of a computer convention (National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics) (NACDA), customer
lists, photographs of the 1983 ticketing class in Los Alamitos, etc.
Box 9
Scrapbook #2
1985-1989
Scope and Contents
Photographs of users meetings, ticketing classes, NACDA conventions, the move from Los Alamitos to Signal Hill... lists of
current customers using the "Ahtletics System" software on mini-computers and personal computers, PSI newsletters, financial
statements, copies of checks from PSI to individuals for design royalties, sales commissions, etc. Correspondence, letter
(1989)from Cary E. Thomas to the McQuades thanking them for making the scrapbooks, several issues of the magazine "Pick World."
Box 9
Scrapbook #3
1990-1991
Scope and Contents
Newsletters (with new name "Interface" beginning in January 1990), correspondence between Cary Thomas and Thomas McQuade,
correspondence between Paciolan Systems and various clients, photographs of meetings and conventions, financial statements,
10th anniversary ephemera and photos, many thank-you notes from various clients for the coffee mugs, sale of stock papers
between Thomas McQuade and Robert Brown (1991), photocopies of stock certificates.
Box 10
Scrapbook #4
1992-1999
Scope and Contents
Correspondence between Paciolan and clients; 1992 correspondence and ephemera regarding Thomas McQuade's departure from Paciolan;newsletters
("Interface"); Correspondence between Thomas McQuade and Bob Brown regarding profit-sharing ("Bob Brown Saga"); stock transactions
and copies of certificates.
Photographs and Photograph Albums
Box 10
Photo Album (Users Meeting/ PACNET--Hyatt, Long Beach)
1991
Box 10
Photo Album (Staff; Christmas Party)
1991
Box 10
Photo Album (Christmas Party)
1992
Box 10
Photo Album (Users Meeting/ PACnet, Cocktail Party)
1993
Box 11
Photo Album (Users Meeting/ PACnet; Tribute to Thomas [McQuade])
1992-1993
Box 11
Photo Album (Users Meeting/ PACnet)
1994
Box 11
Photo Album (Users Meeting/ PACnet)
1995
Box 11
Photo Album (Staff; Users Meeting/PACnet)
1996
Box 12
Photo Album (Users Meeting/ PACnet)
1997
Box 12
Photo Album (Users Meeting/ PACnet)
1999
Box 12
Photo Album (Users Meeting/ PACnet)
2000
Box 14
PACnet [19?]: Spoofs on Paciolan
circa 1995
General Note
"Property of Christine Harding"
Box 14
Paciolan: The Movie (2 copies)
1994
Box 14
A Tribute to Thomas [McQuade]; Paciolan Systems: Users Meeting
1992
Box 14
Programming Class #2, McQuade; PSI
1988 February 18
Box 14
Programming Class #1, McQuade; PSI
1988 February 11
Box 14
Luca Pacioli: Unsung Hero of the Renaissance
1990
Box 14
PACnet: Live from Long Beach--It's Wednesday Night! (DVD)
circa 1996
Box 14
Paciolan: The Movie (DVD) (2 copies)
1994
Box 14
Luca Pacioli: Unsung Hero of the Renaissance
1990
Box 14
Tribute to Thomas [McQuade]
1992
Box 14
PSI PACnet Users Meeting Resource Materials (CD)
1999
Box 13, Folder 1
Paciola California License Plates (2)
1987
Box 15
Paciolan Souvenir Coffee Mugs (8 items)
1990-1996
Box 16
Paciolan Souvenir Coffee Mugs (11 items)
1998-2001; undated
Box 17
Mouse Pads [3 Generations of Branding]
Scope and Contents
3 computer mouse pads: PSI--Paciolan Systems; Paciolan Systems--Integrated Ticketing Solutions; Paciolan--Your Tickets, Your
Way
Box 17
PSI Paciolan Systems Ruler
1998
Scope and Contents
Ruler designed for laying out ticket stock specifications: 170 characters for Data Products, 102 characters for Printronix.
Box 17
Paciolan Branded Solar Calculator
Box 17
Paciolan Branded Playing Cards
Box 17
Paciolan Branded Ball-point Pen
Box 17
PACnet Room Key Cards (2)
2012-2013
Box 17
Paciolan Systems Brass Door Sign
Box 18
St. Louis Rams Super Bowl Champions Commemorative Football
2000
Box 18
Framed Letter Accompanying Football
2000
Scope and Contents
Letter from Michael T. Naughton (Vice-President Ticket Operations for St. Louis Rams) to Jane Kleinberger (Paciolan Systems
Chairman of the Board).
Box 18
Colorado Rockies Commemorative Rally Towel
2007
Box 18
Colorado Rockies World Series Baseball
2007
Box 19
Fra Luca Pacioli Costume
Scope and Contents
Costume includes robe, cross, and rope belt.
Box 20
Wyse Computer Terminal and Keyboard
1989
General Note
The computer terminal is covered with names, initials, and logos of Paciolan employees and clients. There are also pictures
of a bandaged cat ("school of hard knocks") and a monk (symbolizing Friar Luca Pacioli. The computer keyboard is a Wyse
also, and the Wyse Users Guide is also included in the keyboard box.
Blog posts by the founders for 40th anniversary of Paciolan's founding
2020 July
40th Anniversary of the Founding of Paciolan [blog post]: 2020-07-01-
Paciolan: The First Five Years [blog post]: 2020-07-01-
Scope and Contents
[Facebook post by Thomas McQuade, July 1, 2020:]
July 1 is the 40th anniversary of the founding in 1980 of Paciolan (https://www.paciolan.com/), a company created by Cary
Thomas and me to develop and market ticketing and accounting computer systems. Cary has posted an account of the founding
in his blog at http://research-game-book.blogspot.com/2020/07/40th-anniversary-of-founding-of-paciolan.html, and I have provided
him with an additional post (at https://research-game-book.blogspot.com/2020/07/paciolan-first-five-years.html) which goes
into some detail about the people involved and the products produced during the first 5 years of the company's life.
Cary left the company in 1988 for a career in research institute management; I left in 1992 to read economics at Auburn.
Jane Kleinberger, who was the company's second full-time employee, took over as CEO after a rough year or so when my initial
replacement didn't work out. (The first employee was my good friend Brian J. Gladish, to whom I owe the impetus to think
about entrepreneurship in the first place.)
If there is one person most responsible for the company's long-term success, it is Jane. Although she was not a cofounder
(despite being represented as such from time to time in company literature), she was associated with the company from its
earliest days as a contractor before coming on full time. She has been the face of Paciolan for most of its 40 years.
Existence and Location of Copies
The blog posts referenced in the Scope and Contents note above are also included as Digital Objects linked to this record.
The textual contents of these posts have also been saved offline and added to the collection's accession files.