Charles A. Sengstock, Jr. papers, 1960-2000

Charles A. Sengstock, Jr. was an associate in the public relations office for Armour Research Foundation from Feb. 1958 - Feb. 1962. His office was located initially in the "33rd St. apartments" (apparently the Armour Flats building) before moving to the former Arcade building at 10 W. 35th St. (35th and State Sts.) which was then owned by Armour Research Foundation. Sengstock had a particular interest in the Jazz culture of the Bronzeville community at the time and wrote various articles on the former clubs and theaters in the area for the Armour Research Foundation newsletter. Sengstock earlier worked for WGN radio and television in Chicago. Armour Research Foundation (ARF) was one of the first private, not-for-profit contract research laboratories in the United States. Begun in Chicago in 1936 by Armour Institute of Technology (AIT), ARF was acquired by Illinois Institute of Technology in 1940 when IIT was created by the merger of AIT and Lewis Institute. Re-named Armour Research Foundation of Illinois Institute of Technology, it was later reorganized as the IIT Research Institute (IITRI). Under all its iterations, the laboratory conducted research for commercial and government sources, expanding to an international operation. Per IIT President John L. Anderson's April e-newsletter to the campus community, "In 2002, Alion purchased the non-life-science assets of IIT Research Institute.... IITRI remains an IIT-controlled company and is led by David McCormick, who is also professor of biology at the university.... [In March 2010] the university received a cash payment...in exchange for our final holdings of bonds and warrants in Alion...." Source: IIT Archives (Chicago)