W. Paul Abbott

W. Paul Abbott, together with his wife Lorraine and son Rick, is a co-owner and board member of Tec-Com. In the company’s earliest years, he was also the company’s sole financial backer, and in subsequent years, since his retirement, he has been the unpaid manager of the business aspects of the company.

Paul served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and entered Maryville College when he returned from the Pacific theater in 1946. In 1948, he transferred to the University of Tennessee, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He subsequently worked for the Aluminum Company of America while taking graduate courses at U.T. in statistical quality control under Dr. David Chambers, a disciple of the famous W. Edwards Deming technique.

In 1959 Paul began a long career in statistical quality control of manufacturing techniques for clothing, primarily for sports and military uniforms. In 1976 he became president and plant manager of Summit Apparel Company, a subcontractor to Alpha Industries, a well-known manufacturer of both military and commercial apparel. When he retired in 1998, he was director of manufacturing for all of Alpha Industries.