The man who was killed in a workplace accident Friday afternoon at Port San Antonio has been identified as 72-year-old David Monroe.
Monroe was a prolific inventor credited with creating the cellphone camera and founding the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT).
Police and firefighters responded to a call at the Boeing Center at Tech Port at 4:30 p.m. Friday, where SAMSAT is located, after reports that a large piece of equipment, described by officials as possibly a jet engine, had fallen on a man. Firefighters declared Monroe dead at the scene near a loading dock, according to the San Antonio Fire Department.
Port San Antonio on Saturday confirmed Monroe’s identity in a statement remembering him as a visionary who left a mark on the local and global technology industry.
“David was a force for good who transformed countless lives he touched,” wrote Paco Felici, the port’s chief of staff and chief communications officer, in the statement. “To the Port team, he was a friend and partner who inspired us and, through his beloved SAMSAT and museum team, worked hand in hand in a shared vision to make the world a better place.”
The San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology, which Monroe led as chief executive officer, also issued a statement through its website on behalf of his wife, Lorena, and the museum team.
“David Monroe was a prolific inventor, a driven entrepreneur, and a man with a heart for technology’s impact on the lives of adults and children,” the statement read. “His contribution to the digital age has been felt all over the world. His final chapter was bringing this impact to all corners of San Antonio. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and colleagues at SAMSAT and beyond.”
Monroe’s career in technology began while he was still in high school, working on electrical engineering projects for municipal and aerospace clients. By 27, he had become vice president of research and development at Datapoint Corporation, a San Antonio-based firm that grew into a Fortune 500 company. He went on to lead several companies in the electronics, communications and security sectors.
Over the decades, Monroe secured at least 54 patents, with innovations spanning the early microcomputer processor, wireless networking, teleradiology and digital imaging. He is widely recognized for pioneering technology that made the cellphone camera possible.
Outside of his business ventures, Monroe devoted himself to preserving and sharing technology’s history. A goal he pursued through SAMSAT, the museum works to inspire students and adults alike to explore science, technology, engineering and math through educational programs and summer camps. Monroe also spearheaded the FoxWorks, a high-end maker space on the Port San Antonio campus.
His contributions and inventions in the city and beyond earned him the San Antonio Technology Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 and the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award in 2017.
“To tens of thousands of people — youngsters and adults alike — he was a tireless leader deeply committed to providing opportunities to lifelong learning,” Port San Antonio said in its statement.
Reporter Jasper Kenzo Sundeen contributed to this story.
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