Gartner began his career in operations research at System Development Corporation, a subcontractor to Philco Corporation. He worked in Paramus, New Jersey, for the U.S. military’s Strategic Air Command control system and then in Alexandria, Virginia, for the Defense Communications Agency.
Gartner began his career in operations research at System Development Corporation, a company that worked on various projects for Philco Corporation. He was involved in the U.S. military's Strategic Air Command control system in Paramus, New Jersey, and later contributed to the Defense Communications Agency's efforts in Alexandria, Virginia.