Dates

• Existence: 1926 - 1994

Biography

Kent Broadbent (1926-1994) was a physicist and business entrepreneur, musician, and local ecclesiastical leader in Utah.

Kent Dastrup Broadbent was born on June 19, 1926 in Provo, Utah to Berne Passey Broadbent and Thora Dastrup. He grew up in Arizona and Utah. He graduated from Provo High School, attended U.S. Navy School of Music in Washington, D. C., received a BS in physics and mathematics at BYU, an MS in physics at Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, Ohio, and completed graduate work in physics and electronics at U of U. He married Helen Clegg on June 20, 1949, and together they had five children: Eliot, Lynette, Paula, David, and Daniel. His career included: Head of MCA Laboratories, Senior vice president MCA Discovision. He founded and managed the laboratory that developed and conducted the world's first public demonstrations of the optical laser disc technology currently used in CD audio discs, laser video discs, CD and optical computer discs. Previous to that, he was vice president, Engineering, MCA Technology; consultant to senior management at Hughes Aircraft, Lockheed, and North American Rockwell; president, founder of Broadbent Laboratories, Inc.; director, Solid State Division, American Systems, Inc.; head of Computer Subsystems, Components and Devices Section, Hughes Research Laboratories; president of LTA Systems, Inc. He published numerous papers in technical journals and he was sole inventor of many issued patents. He died on September 14, 1994 at his home in Santaquin.

Citation:

Deseret News, via WWW, April 17, 2019 (Born June 19, 1926 in Provo; parents Berne Passey Broadbent and Thora Datrup; grew up in Arizona and Utah; education from Provo High School, US Navy School of Music, BYU (BS Physics and Mathematics), Case Institute of Technology (MS Physics); graduate work at U of U; married Helen Clegg June 20, 1949; five kids Eliot, Lynette, Paula, David, Daniel; career: head of MCS Laboratories, senior vice president MCA Discovision, labratory that developed optical laser disc technology, vice president in Engineering of MCA Technology, consultant to senior management at Hughes Aircraft, Lockheed, North American Rockwell, president and founder of Broadbent Labratories, Inc., director of Solid State Division American Systems, head of Computer Subsystems, Components and Devices Section Hughes Research Laboratories, president of LTA Systems, Inc; published papers in technical journals and inventor of many issued patents; died September 14, 1994 in Santaquin.)

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