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Not many things in the fast-changing world of communications could be described as "traditional." Radiophone Engineering Inc., however, is one of them.
Three generations of the George family have run Radiophone, which sells and services Motorola communications products. Urso George founded the business in 1948, turning it over to his son, Jon, when he retired in 1972. Jon George is continuing the family tradition, and he is working alongside his son, John George, who will head up the company when the elder George retires.
Originally, Radiophone served as a factory-authorized service and repair shop for Motorola two-way radios while Motorola maintained a direct sales force. In 1988, business increased substantially when Radiophone began selling the full line of Motorola two-way communications products including portable and mobile radios, base stations, repeaters, consoles, mobile data equipment, paging infrastructure and pagers.
According to Jon George, Radiophone's customers are specialized. All of them must be licensed to own and operate the equipment the company sells.
Some of the company's customers include Springfield's fire, public works and police departments. In fact Carter Brock, Radiophone's chief technician, built the communications portion of the Springfield Police Department's emergency 911 center, according...