Bancroft Gherardi Jr.

Bancroft Gherardi Jr. was a noted American electrical engineer and business executive as vice-president of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T). He was known for his pioneering work in developing the early telephone and transmission systems in the United States. Recognized as one of the foremost authorities in telephone engineering, Gherardi was instrumental in developing the transcontinental telephone service in 1915 and the trans-Atlantic radio telephone service in 1927. He was awarded the IEEE Edison Medal in 1932 for "contributions to the art of telephone engineering and the development of electrical communication".