[2] Kay, a 1940 graduate of MIT, started his career with Bendix followed by two years at Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
In 1952, Kay founded Non-Linear Systems, a manufacturer of digital instrumentation.
NLS developed a reputation for providing rugged durability in critical applications for everything from submarines to spacecraft.
But the company's success was relatively short-lived; in 1990 it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and it was liquidated in 1992.
[citation needed] He co-founded the Rotary Club of Del Mar, California.