James W. (Jim) Johnson, a nationally recognized pioneer in information technology in higher education, died on April 30th 2015. He was born to Swedish immigrants in Chicago, Illinois on October 30, 1942. Jim was a visionary IT official at the University of Iowa, the University of Houston, Emory University, and Wayne State University. He was a pioneer in the use of computers in education and the NSF-sponsored internet. A frequent public speaker, he presented over 50 keynote addresses to groups as large as 5000, as well as testifying to the U.S. Congress. He served on the board of trustees at the inter-university communications council, EDUCOM, and as a consultant on computing and education for the National Science Foundation, the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, and for more than 10 colleges and universities. He was a finalist for the CAUSE ELITE award for lifetime contributions to higher education technology.
Jim was recruited to the University of Iowa from Iowa Wesleyan University in 1972 by Gary Weeg. At the University of Iowa he headed up the CONDUIT project, which provided proven educational software when there was no market and became the largest provider of education software that was used for everything from teaching writing to doing mathematics in the United States. He became Director of the Weeg Computing Center and one of the first senior information technology officials in the country. His efforts were praised as one of the great IT persons at University of Iowa along with G. P. Weeg.
Seeking another challenge, Jim moved on to the University of Houston, where he was the first Vice President for Information Technology at a university in the U.S. and was charged with creating a computer-intensive university. There he provided the intellectual leadership for and implemented a four-fold increase in instructional facilities in three years.
After leaving Houston, Jim joined Emory University, where he developed a university-wide strategic plan for information technology that converted the A-V Department into a Multimedia Communications Group with an emphasis on curriculum enhancement. This included a global webcasting project for multi-campus instruction and a consolidated University and University Hospitals data center. This work resulted in the Student Guide to Selective Universities listing information technology facilities among what is “hot” at Emory.
Seeking a new challenge at an urban university, Jim moved to Wayne State University, where he was charged with creating the premier urban university in the use of information technology. There he led and developed a high speed fiber optic network, upgraded supercomputing facilities, and a distance learning strategy. These efforts moved technology at Wayne State “from subpar to notable in five years”
His leadership efforts led his colleagues and employees to call him an honest, admired, respected and visionary, leader who showed genuine concern for his employees. His leadership was quoted as being “both exemplary and inspirational” and by all accounts he dramatically expanded the vision and advanced the implementation of information technology at each of the institutions where he served.
Through all of his work he was totally devoted to balancing family and work. Having played football in college he loved physical activity and taught softball, soccer, and tennis to kids. He ran the Peachtree Road Race, was Iowa City tennis doubles champion, and he and his wife Barbara were University of Iowa tennis mixed double champions. Jim will be missed by his wife Barbara, an accomplished educator, and biologist daughter Melissa, PhD, and husband Mark, son Kevin, esq., and wife Bernadette, son Christopher, entrepreneur, and wife Jennifer and four gifted grandchildren, Annika, Delaney, Rowyn, and Dylan.
A memorial service will be held at 11am Tuesday May 5th at Byars Funeral Home. There will be a reception for friends and family following the service. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Doctors Without Borders.
