Wasp Barcode Technologies: The Barcode Solution People

Black History Month: Ralph Garner

In honor of Black History Month, we are going to spotlight on a few African American inventors that have impacted the world of computer technology. Ralph Garner created an anti-theft/anti-fraud system that utilizes a specialized merchandise tag and unique identification coding process to deter various forms of retail larceny. It is the primary product offered by Ralph Garner's company, AUGITS, LLC, founded in 2003. The Apparel Under Garment Identification Tagging System (AUGITS) is a patented return fraud deterrent process specifically designed to proactively address the entire scope of problems associated with return fraud. The tamper-evident tag attached to each garment clearly exhibits to the customer and sales associate return/refund instructions and purchase information, including date of purchase and store name/location. In essence, the store's receipt information visible on the tag is designed to deter would-be fraudsters and thieves' from various return fraud techniques. Mr. Garner graduated from Heald's Engineering College in 1975 with a technical degree in mechanical design. From there, he started working in engineering services with emphasis on product design and manufacturing processes. His hands-on work experience encompasses mechanical and electro-mechanical engineering, metal forming, rapid prototyping, composite plastic and injection mold building, circuit board fabrication, and CAD. Source: "Ralph Garner", by Mary Bellis, About.com Guide