Jim Dietz, an Editorial Events Engineer with Getty Images has died. PAN understands Jim was on assignment for the agency at the Atlanta Super Bowl when he died last Wednesday, 30 January. He was 53. No cause of death has been given at the time of publication.
According to Jim’s LinkedIn page he had a packed photo industry life, most recently in image workflow management, spending eighteen years at Associated Press and then as editorial events engineer with Getty Images for the last five years.
Jim was also involved as Workflow Manager at the Eddie Adams Workshop for nine years and as a volunteer mentor to at risk students by using photography and technology through the NYC Salt program. NYC Salt, which is an entirely scholarship non-profit programme, is working on setting up a scholarship fund in Jim’s name.
We contacted Getty Images on the sad news:
Statement from Ken Mainardis, Senior Vice President, Global Editorial, Getty Images:‘We are devastated to confirm the death of our revered colleague, Jim Dietz, who died suddenly this week.
Jim has been with Getty Images for five years, based in New York; however, he is well-respected in the editorial world and has worked with and known many of us for much longer. The word ‘genius’ is one thrown around casually, particularly in the technology space, but it is hard to measure just how much Jim brought to the Getty Images team by way of competitive advantage. His ability to hook up the most difficult locations with unfeasibly large amounts of bandwidth, usually via innovative wireless technologies, genuinely blew the competition out of the water at some of the biggest events on the planet. This skill deployed on the side of alpine skiing venues in the most inhospitable mountains at the Winter Olympics particularly comes to mind.
Before joining Getty Images, Jim was also responsible for developing the latest version of the Associated Press’ workflow tool and distribution system.
His passing is a devastating and shocking loss for his family and friends, Getty Images and the industry at large.
Remembering Jim:
Louise Dietz I am Jim’s Mother, in this time of terrible loss the knowledge of how highly he was regarded is comforting.
Thanks to Paul at AP Connecting for his help on source the image above and these memories below posted on his newsletter.
Bob Daugherty I was speechless upon learning that Jim Dietz had passed away. I’m sure that there isn’t a photographer or photo editor, some past and present, who would have more than one story of Jim pulling their bacon from the fire. Jim and the band of AP evangelists introducing members and AP staff to the Leaf machinery were basically moving us all, staff and members, from analog to digital-suddenly. As director of the State Photo Center I was blessed at different times with deputies that I called the best and brightest – Jim Dietz, Susan Wise and Bill Waugh. I also know that Getty Images has a massive hole in their hearts and in their staff.
Doug Pizac I’m a computer-oriented person at heart, starting out as a math/computer science major in college before switching to photography. I found Jim a wonderful resource for answers and to bounce things off of that helped me professionally and when I helped newspapers in SoCal with issues they had with the LeafDesk, Leafscan 35/45 and Leafax scanners. And he was a gem/pleasure to work with when he was at the State Photo Center. His knowledge, wit and humor will be loss to all of us.
Dave Tomlin I am very sorry to learn of Jim Dietz’s death. I worked alongside him during the time AP was replacing its LaserPhoto receivers with Leafdesks and trying to make a business out of persuading members to buy additional Leaf units and other equipment. The project was often severely polarized between those who trained members to get the most out of the new systems and those responsible for pushing sales. I remember appreciating Jim’s contributions to the project, always constructive, cheerful and focused on helping everyone around him succeed.
I am Jim’s Mother, in this time of terrible loss the knowledge of how highly he was regarded is comforting. Louise Dietz