Jc Sparkman
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July 21, 2020
Cable Pioneer, Loving Family Man JC Sparkman Dies at 87
JC Sparkman, cable pioneer, global business leader, philanthropist, and loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away peacefully on July 16, 2020.
Born to a family of modest means in eastern Washington in the wake of the Great Depression, JC learned at an early age that hard work, dedication and loyalty can take you far in life. When asked by an interviewer what his initials stood for, he replied, "Just JC, I came from a poor family. We couldn't afford first names."
His path to the cable business began in 1956. After serving as a technician in the Air Force and with a job waiting for him at Boeing, a friend convinced him to join A.J. Distributors, an Idaho equipment distributor that also built cable systems. From there, he moved to Kansas City to manage an office for cable equipment manufacturer Jerrold Electronics, and then to Philadelphia as the company's national sales manager.
In 1969, Bob Magness, founder of Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI) hired JC to run operations when the company had 56,000 customers. During his 30 years as TCI's chief operations officer, JC successfully managed the company through decades of growth. For several years during his tenure, TCI doubled in size every 18 months. Due to his upbringing, JC knew the value of a dollar and had a reputation for being frugal. Throughout his career he applied the concepts of cost control, relentless efficiency and financial management to a business and an industry that grew dynamically. When he retired, TCI was the nation's largest cable company, serving nearly 19 million customers and was acquired by AT&T for $48 billion.
John Malone, former CEO of TCI and Chairman of Liberty Global and Liberty Media, said, "JC was one of a kind. Both of us entered the cable TV business through Jerrold Electronics more than 50 years ago. He was absolutely key to making TCI the largest and most important cable company in America. We really built the company on JC's back. His incredible energy and his leadership in building a team that could survive adversity and then grow exponentially was unmatched. He was a builder of companies but never lost sight of what mattered most in life, his incredible family."
JC understood the power of cable to connect people, break down barriers, drive entrepreneurship and power economies. After transforming the US industry, he
dedicated a significant portion of his retirement to reshaping telecommunications around the globe. JC was a member of the Board of Directors of Liberty Global, one of the world's leading converged video, broadband and communication companies, with operations across 4 continents at one point and now the leading operator in Europe.
Mike Fries, Liberty Global's CEO said, "JC was a great friend and mentor and we were all lucky to have him on our board. He was smart, ambitious, funny and told it like it was - essential qualities in business and in life. JC leaves behind a great legacy of accomplishment and a loving family that adored him. We will all miss him dearly."
In addition to Liberty Global, he had also served on the boards of Shaw Communications and was formerly on the boards of Universal Electronics, Inc., On Command Corporation, TSX Corporation, Liberty Media International, Inc., Comcast Cable Holdings LLC, DMX Inc., and United Video Satellite Group. JC was a Cable TV Pioneer and was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame in 2015.
JC dedicated much of his life to improving education and increasing diversity in the industry he helped build. He was also an early believer in the educational potential of cable and helped found "Cable in the Classroom" and the "JC Sparkman Center for National Teacher Training," a national facility that educated teachers in classroom
technology, free of charge. "I didn't look at it as a cost factor," he once said. "We felt it was a good investment for the future." He also provided seed money along with
Magness to launch the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute (BMLI) with the goal of elevating women leaders in the cable and telecommunications industry. Today more
than 1,000 women have graduated from the program.
Malone added, "If there is a place for old cable guys, I look forward to meeting JC there. I will really miss him."
He is preceded in death by his parents Leonard and Mable Sparkman. JC is survived by his wife of 69 years Dolores, daughters Debra Urband (Tim Urband), Pam Barthels (Bruce Barthels) and son Michael Sparkman (Adele Sparkman). He is also survived by six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, sister Velta Mae Graybeal and numerous nieces and nephews.
Due to the pandemic, services are for the immediate family only. He will be honored on Friday July 24, 2020 at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary and Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to The JC and Dolores Sparkman Cancer Fund, Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation, 13123 E 16th Ave, B045, Aurora, CO 80045.