Editor's Note: Jim was a valued member of MSOC for over a decade and was sponsored by Tom Mauro. He was a longtime member of the newsletter staff.
Jim PiccinelliBy Tom Mauro
Joie and I have been honored to be colleagues and friends with Jim and Margaret over the past six decades. We remember fond social gatherings with Dick and Jean Watt. Dick was also our colleague and leader at United Banks. Our deepest condolences go out to the Piccinelli family and friends. We were privileged to know him.
Jim leaves a tremendous legacy as an information system professional; a courageous and trusted colleague; a citizen of character; and a loving husband, father, son, brother, and grandfather.
Jim and I met in 1973 when we both joined United Banks Service Company. Jim had been at Gates Rubber, and I had just finished my commitment in the U.S. Army. We immediately became fast friends and not just because both our last names ended in a vowel.
United Banks Service Company was a unique idea in the banking world in the 1970s as it was a wholly owned subsidiary of United Banks of Colorado. The systems being used by United Banks were legacy “batch” processing systems for traditional applications like checking, savings, and loan accounts.
United Banks had a visionary named Neil Roberts who had the idea for an integrated customer-oriented banking data base system that incorporated the concept of batch processing with real-time on-line customer updated information. Jim and many of the people at United Banks Service Company brought this system to life in the 1970’s. It was unique in the banking business throughout the United States for over two decades.
Jim was a consummate professional as a systems programmer, a manager of applications and systems programmers, and as an executive vice-president at United Banks, Norwest, and Wells Fargo.
He was a tough but considerate manager of people and a teacher for his employees as well. That made sense because he also had been a math teacher in the Denver metro area in his pre- IT life.
Jim also had a little psychology in him as well. He used to accuse me of creating chaos in the company, taking the lead in solving the chaos I created, and then taking credit for it. He said that was a unique way of getting ahead. I never knew what he was talking about.
Jim worked tirelessly and efficiently in everything he ever did in the 25 years we worked together. When United Banks was acquired in the 1990’s, he was a warrior in promoting the UBSC systems versus the less sophisticated acquirer systems. And when I say “warrior”, I mean it because there was a war between the two IT organizations about which systems would survive. (Jim also was a warrior in battling the health problems he had.)
Although the acquirer won the battle when a commercial system similar to United Banks data base system became available, the people that had the knowledge and leadership example provided by Jim played a key role in making those systems successful at Norwest and then at Wells Fargo.
Jim and I also happened to be roommates in our shared apartment on our travels to Minneapolis. We did enjoy a few Italian dinners together at places like Bucca de Beppo and attended a few Minnesota Twins baseball games in the dome. Walleye pike was also often on the menu.
Jim loved his family and always expressed his gratefulness for everyone regardless of any trials or tribulations anyone ever had.
Jim was kind, had a great sense of humor, and always expressed interest in how you were doing. He loved his grandchildren and what you have already accomplished. He was an honest, trustworthy individual who always acted as an example for others.
Jim was an outstanding athlete playing golf and starring in basketball and softball on the UBSC teams. He was a renaissance man in that he appreciated art, music, travel, and many other cultural activities.
When Nike adopted its motto, “Just Do It”, Jim was right there and encouraged all of us to not just talk about doing things but to “Just Do It!”.
He was an exemplary friend, citizen, and community contributor. We will miss him, but we are all better for knowing him. Margaret, thanks for sharing him with us all.
The ever-present Bill Litchfield (owner of the "Optimist" license plate) manned the greeting duties along with Michael Chavez this morning, and managed to keep up with a large and lively crowd, making each one feel welcome, on Friday morning, July 29th, 2022.
DENVER ART MUSEUM
Robert Wardlaw reminded everyone that Friday, August 12th will be our Principals to Breakfast meeting. Principals from all of the schools where we sponsor Super Citizen programs are invited to join us that day. Two schools have RSVPd already, and we hope to have the rest join us as well.
Kendra, who is the driving force behind the South by Southeast Festival, says she has 352 days remaining in her term (but who’s counting?). She is not running for City Council again, and her successor will have to decide to continue the event or not.