January 4, 2008 -- BICSI mourns the loss of Irving "Jim" Alexander, BICSI's seventh President (1984-1985), who recently passed away after a long illness. He was 82.
According to a press release from BICSI:
A WWII Navy Veteran and 38-year employee with Illinois Bell Telephone, Alexander, of Diamond, Illinois, is remembered by many BICSI members and telecommunications professionals as the driving force behind the establishment of BICSI's Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) program.
"Jim saw a need within the industry and pushed BICSI to fill it with the development of the RCDD designation," said David Cranmer, RCDD, BICSI executive director. "Professionals who attain this designation have demonstrated their knowledge in the design, integration and implementation of information transport systems (ITS) and related infrastructure components."
"Very few people believed that BICSI could sustain the 1984 break-up that ended the Bell System of affiliated telephone companies," said Dunn G. Harvey, RCDD, BICSI Past President (1981). "Yet through Jim's leadership, the organization held strong and maintained positive relations with those newly separated companies."
Alexander was the beloved husband of Bernadine; loving father of Barbara (James) Bruno, Diane (Richard) Warburton, James (Beth) Alexander and Richard (Leah) Alexander; dear brother of Marion Robinson and Jeanne Maggio; cherished grandfather of 12; great-grandfather of six.
BICSI extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Alexander. A donation to the Alzheimer's Association in memory of him is appreciated by his family.
