GEWI is saddened to report that Jim O’Neill lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on 21 October 2021. Jim started at GEWI on the sales and marketing team in 2008, and became CEO of GEWI North America in 2010, working to grow our business in US markets. He was well respected for his contributions to the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) field, having worked in the traffic industry since 1975. His experience in traffic management center operations provided an excellent backdrop to support GEWI’s inroads in connected vehicles, 511 deployments, data harmonization, data gathering and dissemination, and location referencing technologies.
Prior to joining GEWI, Jim worked in broadcast operations, management, and syndication, as well as on-air and creative production, including oversight of regional operations for Metro Networks, product development for WestwoodOne, and managing public/private sector projects and relationships for SmartRourte Systems. He also created a nationally syndicated program targeting the trucking industry which led to the development of the first online recruitment service for professional drivers, 1-800-DRIVERS.
An enthusiastic advocate and devotee of Ice Hockey, Jim skated as an official (referee) for USA Hockey in Houston for more than 24 years, overlapping his time as an off-ice official for the American Hockey League. His devotion to hockey and volunteerism coalesced as he became founder and Executive Director of STARSkaters.org, an organization which provides an on-ice skating experience for therapy and recreation for children and young adults with any type of physical or developmental disability. Through STARSkaters, Jim was also involved in TexasSledHockey.org, an organization focused on disabled military and anyone with lower body disabilities who might enjoy the exhilarating sport of Sled Hockey.
GEWI’s CEO Hagen Geppert commented “It’s difficult to express the feeling of loss with the passing of Jim O’Neill. He was both a colleague and a friend, one who always had a personal story to accompany nearly any subject we discussed. Jim’s ability to engage potential customers in conversation, and to bring out their own requirements in parallel to our product capabilities was a great benefit to GEWI as well as our customers. His contributions to GEWI will be missed”.
Prior to joining GEWI, Jim worked in broadcast operations, management, and syndication, as well as on-air and creative production, including oversight of regional operations for Metro Networks, product development for WestwoodOne, and managing public/private sector projects and relationships for SmartRourte Systems. He also created a nationally syndicated program targeting the trucking industry which led to the development of the first online recruitment service for professional drivers, 1-800-DRIVERS.
An enthusiastic advocate and devotee of Ice Hockey, Jim skated as an official (referee) for USA Hockey in Houston for more than 24 years, overlapping his time as an off-ice official for the American Hockey League. His devotion to hockey and volunteerism coalesced as he became founder and Executive Director of STARSkaters.org, an organization which provides an on-ice skating experience for therapy and recreation for children and young adults with any type of physical or developmental disability. Through STARSkaters, Jim was also involved in TexasSledHockey.org, an organization focused on disabled military and anyone with lower body disabilities who might enjoy the exhilarating sport of Sled Hockey.
GEWI’s CEO Hagen Geppert commented “It’s difficult to express the feeling of loss with the passing of Jim O’Neill. He was both a colleague and a friend, one who always had a personal story to accompany nearly any subject we discussed. Jim’s ability to engage potential customers in conversation, and to bring out their own requirements in parallel to our product capabilities was a great benefit to GEWI as well as our customers. His contributions to GEWI will be missed”.
