1923-

British computer scientist who won the Alan Turing Award for his contributions to database management systems. Codd first developed the concept of a relational database, the conceptual basis of most current database systems, which was realized in programs such as Dbase, Access, FoxPro, and others. This conceptual breakthrough helped to revolutionize the computerization of records, with significant impacts in science, marketing, administration, and virtually any other field in which storing, organizing, and correlating large amounts of data is of value.