Walter Bowes (1882–1957) was an English-born industrialist and sportsman, who came to fame in the United States as the co-founder of technology firm Pitney-Bowes Postage Meter Company (now Pitney-Bowes) An entrepreneur and salesman, he achieved great success as a businessman and also had a passion for racing yachts and horses.
Today, the company that bears his name, Pitney Bowes Inc., is a $6.1 billion provider of software, hardware and services related to documents, packaging, mailing and shipping, collectively referred to as the mailstream.
A postal official suggested he contact Arthur Pitney, an inventor who had been working on such a device for nearly two decades.
While Pitney was the inventor, Bowes concentrated his activities in Washington, lobbying for the passage of the necessary legislation that would open the door for the postage meter.
The United States Congress passed the enabling legislation in 1920, and the first piece of metered mail—a letter from Bowes to his wife—was posted on December 10, 1920.
[3] • The Real People Behind Our Famous Brand Names [4] • Pitney Bowes – Company History [5] • Cahn, William (1961).