Bill Gerrey, earned a Bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering from Cal. Poly University in 1971. His interest in devices for the blind goes back to early childhood: His father, who was also blind, kindled his interests in radio and early recording machines. He got his amateur-radio license (WA6NPC) as a teenager.

His father's collection of magazines dating back to 1950, The Braille Technical Press, became an integral part of Gerrey's education. It is with the inspiration of Robert W. Gunderson, Editor of that former magazine, that the Technical File was born; it is with Smith-Kettlewell's support that this Smith-Kettlewell version of a hardened technical information source seeks to fill any void in technical data for the blind enthusiast.