Larry Walker Biographical Sketch

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By: Larry Walker, September 2023; Context: Sperry Knowledge Systems Center.

BA Lehigh University, 1963.                

Larry Walker spent 40+ years in the Computer Industry, a laboratory for continuous change and increased productivity.  Larry led world-class people in pursuit of technical excellence, industry breakthroughs, and new markets.  Larry started as a systems programmer with Control Data and Sperry Univac involved with operating systems aimed at airlines and large banks.  He moved up the ranks of management leading new operating system development, computer system design, corporate strategy, and organizational transformation.

Organizational transformation aimed at making Sperry Univac a leader in the application of Artificial Intelligence (in 1984).  In a 2-year period this process:

  • Initiated 100+ projects applying AI across every division of the company.
  • Procured AI hardware from Texas Instrument (based on MIT’s AI research).
  • Procured AI software environment from Intellicorp (based on Stanford’s AI research).
  • Trained 350 programmers in AI-unique problem-solving techniques.
  • Established working relationships with 43 universities around the world.
  • Had 50 customer projects worldwide.

Larry co-founded two high tech startups.  PEAKSolutions (Peaks), 1987,brought expert system solutions to the everyday marketplace spanning customers in government, industry, and education. Peaks, delivered 40 solutions to companies and government in the US and Great Britain. Peaks enabled the St. Paul School of Tomorrow to tailor curriculum to each individual student.  Peaks also supported the merger of Minnesota’s Community Colleges with its Technical Training Colleges to form MnSCU – and helped cut 1 year off their planned 3-year process.  Peaks evolved to Knowledge Management, Inc. (KMI) which has operated continuously since 1992. 

  Larry collaborated with Hector Garcia’s Minnesota Immigrant Community Roundtables which generated 33 successful action groups over a 13-year period (two of which were adopted nationally).  One of these was an Immigrant Email Information Exchange (Immigrant Bridges) which achieved membership of 500 individuals and over 200 organizations involved with immigrants and at peak shared 200 emails a month.

Larry co-founded The AWL Group, a leadership development group which owns the intellectual property of Dr. Robert Terry who established the first leadership development program in the country in 1980 at the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Institute. AWL delivered this program for 10 years to doctors, clinics, nonprofits, care centers, churches, communities.

Larry and Warren Hoffman, co-founder of AWL published a book based on Warren’s experience as a pastor, coach to pastors who were burning out, coach to over 500 doctors, and leadership consultant.  Platinum Communications, presents a framework to lead readers from being self-centered to being centered on communicating with others who are different from you..