- Date Of Birth: March 1, 1936
- Date Of Death: May 16, 2018
- State: Arizona
Jim H. Houtz
3/1/1936 – 5/16/2018
It is with heavy hearts we share that Jim Houtz, entrepreneur, former CEO, venture capitalist, and published author passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, surrounded by family.
Jim is survived by his loving wife, Joyce (Ebel) Houtz, and cherished children, Janna (Jeff) Schlueter and Jody Houtz; beloved grandchild Jordan Schlueter and great-grandchild Jax Schlueter; siblings Patricia Houtz (Ruthann Marshall) and John Houtz. Jim was pre-deceased by his parents Gertrude Houtz Kelso and Howard Houtz, and his first grandson, Jake Schlueter.
Jim, born in Sioux City, Iowa, was a 1954 graduate of Sioux City East High School, and a 1958 graduate of the University of South Dakota Business School, where he was later awarded an honorary doctorate degree. He served in US Army where he also played basketball and golf.
Jim worked for Burroughs, and IBM after the Army, before setting out on his own in 1967. An entrepreneur since then, he made it his life’s mission to build companies, and the people within them.
He founded CyCare Systems, Inc, in the basement of a radio station with just $1,500 in his pocket and ten shares of IBM stock, and served as Chairman and CEO for 29 years, until he it sold it for $270 million to Atlanta Based HBO & Company in 1996. Jim was instrumental in helping CyCare pioneer many new innovations for healthcare automation. The company maintained a market share as high as 35% of all the large group physician practices in the US. CyCare went public in 1981 with a secondary offering in 1983, followed by it’s NYSE listing in 1988.
Following the sale of CyCare, Jim started a venture capital firm, JaGrand Ventures, served as CEO of Integreat, Inc., CEO of Southwest Jet Aviation, and Southwest Jet Corporate Center. He has served on numerous boards, and is a published author of Seize the American Dream: 10 Entrepreneurial Success Stories, and Saving America. He has been a mentor to many young entrepreneurs with great ideas and an overwhelming desire to achieve success.
Jim cherished time with his family, and friends. He loved to laugh, and share stories. His interests included business, entrepreneurship, politics, helping others grow their business, reading, travelling, golf, sports, and playing poker. He coached many youth boys and girls basketball teams, from 1961 until 2012. He made a point to attend almost all sports and events his children and grandchildren participated in, travelling across the state of Iowa, the Midwest, Arizona, and even to Ireland to do so.
Jim was a philanthropist to many organizations and individuals. Near and dear to his heart was helping others obtain a college education. After losing his own athletic scholarship at University of South Dakota due to a career ending knee injury, he struggled to fund his own college education, and ultimately paid for his schooling by cooking hamburgers and selling them on a route among the dorms to college students.
Jim has established several University-based scholarship programs and has also helped fund many individual’s college educations. He asked for nothing in return, but requested that recipients “Pay it Forward” when they are able.
“Do not be afraid of failure; Be afraid only of not trying.” — Jim H. Houtz
