Napoleon Hornbuckle was born on February 16, 1942, in Birmingham Alabama to the late Lee Early Hornbuckle and Louisa Clayton Hornbuckle.
Napoleon, also known as Nape, Na, Horn, Blood, The Dragon, was one of six boys born to the late Lee and Louisa Hornbuckle. The brothers eventually became known as The Buck Boys. Whenever they were together in one city they proudly wore their shirts with the logo, Buck Boys In Town.
In his younger years before graduating from Western Olin High School, Birmingham, Alabama, Napoleon had his first job as a paperboy. His business acumen was on full display even then, as he recounted stories delivering the newspaper to a house that was no longer there after a tornado. He always said teachers and preachers were the most difficult people to collect from. They always had an excuse to delay their payment. In those days, paperboys were responsible for collecting money for newspaper subscriptions. If the subscribers didn’t pay their bills, then the paperboy got paid less.
His second job in his youth was with Birmingham Box Company (BBC). He got a kick out of saying he worked for the BBC. Upon hearing this, people were impressed, as they naturally thought the BBC was the British Broadcasting Company. He would eventually explain that he built wooden crates for bottles to be delivered to grocery stores. Nevertheless, he took great pride in how fast he could put those crates together!
After graduating from Western Olin High School in 1959, Napoleon attended Tennessee State University (TSU). While attending TSU, he served as Student Council Vice President and became a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. In 1964, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.
After graduation, Napoleon began his career as a design engineer at North American Aviation, in Downey California. In February 1965, he joined Motorola Incorporated in Scottsdale, Arizona. Napoleon would go on to build an illustrious career with Motorola, spanning 36 years. Some of the major highlights and accomplishments of his career with Motorola include:
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- Fleet Broadcast System and the Demand Assign Multiple Access Terminal, both were communication systems for the U.S. Navy.
In 1976 he transitioned to the marketing department and led his organization into many new business areas, resulting in his promotion to Marketing Department Manager in 1982. - In 1984 he assumed full, directorial authority for Tactical Communications Operations, within the Communications Division.
- He introduced the LST-5 satellite transceiver and the AN/PRC-12 survival radio used by the United States military during special operations. The AN/PRC-12 survival radio is specifically notable for its use by Captain Scott O’Grady as he was rescued in Bosnia, during Operation Storm. Captain O’Grady’s heroic rescue was later depicted in the movie Behind Enemy Lines, starring Owen Wilson. The use of the AN/PRC-12 radio played a key role in facilitating his rescue.
- In 1990, Napoleon led Motorola’s new Chandler facility which housed the Strategic Electronics Division. This division comprised all of Motorola’s space-related products. In 1992, the Division received the Goddard Space Flight Center Excellence Award for Quality Productivity.
- In 1993, Napoleon was selected to create and lead efforts in the diversification of its businesses. This resulted in the formation of the Diversified Technologies Division. Some of the commercial products developed from this diversification include electronic toll collection and the GPS/cellular phone for emergency messaging.
- In 1997 Napoleon was tasked to lead global government business development for Motorola. Under his leadership, both domestic and international product businesses achieved significant growth, due to his strategic positioning of Motorola within the domestic and international government markets.
- In 1998, Napoleon Hornbuckle played an integral part in the development of the satellite phone for the Iridium Satellite system that provided wireless, mobile communications through a network of 66 satellites in polar, low-Earth orbits. The development of these phones eventually led to the beginning of the cellular industry.
- Napoleon was the second African-American to be appointed Corporate Vice President and General Manager for Motorola, Inc.
- After dedicating more than 36 years, Napoleon retired from Motorola in February 2001. HE WAS A TRUE PIONEER!
- Fleet Broadcast System and the Demand Assign Multiple Access Terminal, both were communication systems for the U.S. Navy.
Napoleon‘s career was complemented by many professional accolades and awards, however, two are most notable:
- In 1991, he received the Black Engineer of the Year Professional Achievement Award;
- In 1995, he was selected Outstanding Electrical Engineering Alum from his alma mater, Tennessee State University.
After retiring Napoleon and Dorothy moved to Atlanta to be close to their children and grandchildren. While in Atlanta, Napoleon, and Dorothy met many new friends. Napoleon, Dorothy, and their new group of friends spent so much time together, they became known around Atlanta as “The Posse”!
Napoleon’s love of golf and having a great time led him to join the National Negro Golf Association (NNGA), Atlanta Chapter. He traveled across the globe to play golf on hundreds of courses with work colleagues, friends, and family. His travels provided him with spectacular opportunities to play golf on world-class courses located in countries such as Scotland, Ireland, Spain, the Caribbean, and most of the continental United States. Napoleon’s professional career was certainly something that he could brag about. However, he did not. What he did brag about, quite often scoring a “double eagle”, on Hole #2, at Pebble Beach. He deemed this as one of his proudest golf achievements. Napoleon wanted every young person to have some knowledge of the game of golf. His belief, as he often said, “knowing how to play golf will take you places”, therefore, he devoted his time to serving on the Board of Directors for the National Minority Junior Golf Association, now known as the Bill Dickey Scholarship Association.
He was an active member of many organizations including:
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity
Kappa Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity
Desert Mashie Golf Club
National Negro Golf Association
The Golf Club of Georgia
Board Member of the Greater Phoenix Urban League
Board Member of Atlanta Technical College
Board Member National Minority Junior Golf Association
Napoleon enjoyed extensive traveling around the world with his loving wife Dorothy. When they weren’t traveling, they enjoyed spending time with their children and grandchildren. Napoleon is preceded in death by three brothers, Arthur Dwight, Franklin, and Julius.
Napoleon leaves to cherish his memory, his loving and devoted wife, Dorothy of 57 years, sons Scott [Zanetta], and Vance [Jennifer], brothers Michael Hornbuckle of Birmingham, Alabama, and Lee [Carol] Hornbuckle of Cincinnati, Ohio, and grandchildren Maalik, Kyla, and Kyrene. He leaves behind a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. He will also be missed by numerous friends, “The “Posse”, and colleagues.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Kappa Boulé of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and National Negro Golf Association services will begin at 4 pm Tuesday 7/12/22
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Napoleon Hornbuckle Junior Golf Scholarship Fund. https://gofund.me/ab9235cd