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Daniel Johannes Wadén, ‘Father of Finnish telephone companies’, was born in Inkoo in 1850. The boy who lost his father at an early age, studied while working and passed his Matriculation Examination in 1869. In 1870, Wadén began working as an apprentice in the telegraph office. After successfully completing his apprenticeship he was appointed telegraph operator in 1871. The talented Wadén continued his studies at Helsinki University, and completed his Master of Arts degree in 1873. His talent was also noticed in the telegraph office, and in 1877 he was appointed junior engineer-mechanic. He supervised the technical department, which served southern Finland. In 1876, Wadén founded an electrical supplies store that
sold telephones, in Yrjönkatu, Helsinki. In 1880, Wadén
submitted an application in the city administrative court for a
license to start a telephone company in the capital. The license
was granted at the beginning of 1882. The company adopted the name
Helsingin Telefoniosakeyhtiö. Wadén was the company’s
Managing Director from 1882 to 1897. He was awarded an honorary
title of Court Counsellor in 1886. Principal public duties and board memberships:
Daniel Johannes Wadén was a keen outdoor person and a dog enthusiast. Wandering in the woods was one of Wadén favourite leisure pastimes. While on his farm in Janakkala, Wadén carried out extensive game research and published a considerable number of articles and papers in domestic and international hunting magazines. Wadén was a founder member of the Kennel Club and chaired the Club during 1892-1904
Fredrik Rosberg joined Helsinki Telephone Association in 1882. He was one of Managing Director Wadén’s most trusted assistants and closest friends. Rosberg knew the company and personnel inside out, when he assumed his position as Managing Director in 1897. Like Wadén, Rosberg was a patriarchal leader, who wanted to know everything down to the tiniest detail. The years of WWI were strenuous for Rosberg, but he remained Managing Director until his death in 1924.
Erik von Schantz graduated from the Finnish Military Academy in 1898. He received his Master of Science degree from the Polytechnic in 1901. During the following two years, von Schantz studied electrical engineering subjects in Hanover and made a study trip to Norway and England. In 1903, von Schantz was employed by Gottfr.
Strömberg and
was the company’s managing director from 1919 to 1924. von
Schantz was Managing Director of Helsinki Telephone Association
from 1924 to 1948. Principal public duties and board memberships: During WWII, man-made caves were built in the bedrock underneath Helsinki Telephone Association’s office, and auxiliary exchanges were placed there. To enter these caves, elevators were built in the rockshaft. According to the security guards, Erik von Schantz’ ghost rides the rock elevator at night in Kasarminkatu.
Jalavisto was Helsinki Telephone Association’s Managing Director from 1948 -1970. The President of the Republic of Finland awarded Jalavisto the honorary title of Commercial Counsellor in 1969. Principal public duties and board memberships:
Martti Harva passed his Matriculation Examination in 1939. He served in the communications corps during the war. After the peace treaty was signed in 1947 Harva continued his studies and received his Master of Science degree from Helsinki Technical University in 1949. He worked at the Turku telephone company from 1948 to1956. Harva was an Asla scholar in the United States during 1955-56.
He was appointed Deputy Director of Helsinki Telephone Association
in 1957, Technical Director in 1961 and Deputy Managing Director
in 1965. VIDEO
Martti Harva's interview (in finnish) Principal public duties and board memberships: Harva’s leisure interests included agriculture and forestry in his Lillmaris farm in Pernaja, Fasarby. He has also written a number of philosophical articles in Kanava magazine.
Kurt Nordman’s career at Helsinki Telephone Association started in 1960 as an apprentice. He received his Master of Science degree from Helsinki University of Technology in 1963 and took the position of Planning Engineer in Helsinki Telephone Association in the same year. This lasted until 1967. In 1967 he became Office Manager. During 1968 to 1970 he was employed by ITT
in London and Brussels. He was HPY’s Technical Director during 1970-1987 and Managing
Director from 1987 to 1997. Nordman assumed the position of HPY’s
Director General and Chairman of Helsinki Telephone’s Board
of Directors in 1997. He was granted an honorary title of Mining
Counsellor in 1997. Nordman retired in 2000. VIDEO
Kurt Nordman's interview (in finnish) Principal public duties and board memberships:
Kurt Nordman’s leisure interests are botany and photographing plants. His interest in botany originates from his stays at his summer cottage on an island and this passion has lead Nordman around Finland and the Nordic countries. Nordman owns an extensive photo collection of the North’s plants in bloom. “This is an easier hobby than hunting. The target doesn’t try to run away,” says Nordman, whose research, inspired by an interest in botany, has been published in one of Helsinki University’s series of publications.
Matti Mattheiszen started his career in Oy Tesvisio Ab in 1962 in the early days of Finnish television. He worked for the Finnish Broadcasting Company during 1962-66. From 1966 to 1971, Mattheiszen was employed by the Finnish Post and Telegraph Office. Matti Mattheiszen joined Helsinki Telephone
Association in 1971. He has been a Manager in switching operation & maintenance:
in 1983 a Deputy Director of the Business Customer Service; 1984
Director of the Customer Service; 1988 Director of B-to-B Services;
1993 Director of Sales and Marketing; COO and Deputy Managing Director
as of 1988 and CEO from 1 May 1997. VIDEO
Matti Mattheiszen's interview (in finnish) Principal public duties and board memberships: Matti Mattheiszen’s leisure interests are tennis, woodcraft, opera and telling stories to grandchildren
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