James Douglas Skog

James Douglas (Jim) Skog was a beautiful, lovely human being, who succeeded in his goal of making the world far better and brighter. Let’s underscore that up front. He was his family’s light, love, and hero, and they will dearly miss him. Jim adored being a loving husband and father of two sons; he loved his extended family and friends beyond measure. Jim was greatly blessed, in return, with their love and respect. Jim made a conscious decision for more than 37 years to bring meaning, humanity, and joy to his workplaces. In life and work, Jim valued creativity, mentoring others, helping younger team members and partners to be successful, and adventuring and exploring the world. He worked to be kind and live with loving kindness and tried not to judge others. When he looked back on his career, Jim was proud that he brought a sense of shared successes, integrity, transparency, creativity, and kindness to the corporate world. Jim deeply enjoyed developing business relationships around the world and helping design and launch new products that improved the quality of life worldwide for others. Jim was also a lover of the natural world, from the oceans to the mountains. Often as a family activity, he planted and/or nurtured dozens of trees throughout Northern Colorado, fruit to maple, locusts to golden ash. This gives you a sense of who Jim was at heart and why he was so dear to so many. Here are some highlights of Jim’s life: He:  Was born in Keokuk, Iowa in 1955  Left this earth at the age of 66 on July 15, 2022  Was the first grandson, big brother to two sisters, and lived in Pennsylvania and Iowa growing up.  Graduated from the University of Iowa in Iowa City with a degree in finance. He was a member of the Hawkeye Soccer Club and the U of I Sailing Club, and a proud Hawkeye the rest of his life.  Received his MBA from the University of Wyoming  Married Susan Stuekerjuergen in 1979. They felt blessed to grow up together, adventure in the West and beyond, experience 42 fulfilling, loving years together, and raise two wonderful sons.  With his wife, moved to Boise, Idaho in 1979 where Jim was thrilled to join Hewlett-Packard. He worked with Hewlett-Packard for almost 28 years, included serving as HP’s laser printer product manager. He helped market the laser printer globally, including via an extended assignment in Europe. Jim was a product manager for five major product development and introductions and led new business development for HP Technical Computing, which included everything from developing sales opportunities around the world to creating marketing programs, training salesforces and partners, managing website development and press briefings, speaking at conferences, and leading a virtual team.  Moved to Fort Collins, Colorado in 1985, still with Hewlett-Packard. Fort Collins quickly felt like home, especially when he became a father to Jeffrey and Evan.  Believed in giving back his whole life. Jim volunteered with Boy Scouts in high school, and later supported homeless shelters, the Arc, the Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, and his wife’s international philanthropic efforts to provide refugees and other developing world people with housing, medicine, food, education, and safety.  Became Nordson Medical’s International Accounts Director and later its Global Market Development Manager, again traveling the world in both positions. He was proud that his work helped improve medical devices and connectors, including new product families developed for Blood Pressure, Enteral, Neuraxial, and Respiratory connectors. Jim managed international sales, global accounts, strategic partnerships and alliances, and developed many new channels of distribution. He found, recruited, secured and trained distributors in Australia and New Zealand. And loved traveling in both countries with his colleagues.  Truly loved traveling, meeting new friends, and experiencing new cultures. For work and pleasure, Jim visited 40 different countries. He appreciated understanding different ways of living and the unique business culture in each of the different countries. He sought out different cuisines. Jim made and kept in touch with friends, from Australia to the UK to Iceland, India, Japan, China, and Brazil. He and his wife enjoyed an extended four-month business assignment, based in Germany and subsequent trips to Australia, Turkey, Costa Rica, and throughout Europe. They made new friends in Tuscany during a workaway.  Enjoyed the privilege of being a loving uncle to his nieces and nephews, including on many hikes in Rocky Mountain Park. Was a grateful member of a men’s group for about 20 years and an extended member of his wife’s book club “family.”  Savored Colorado’s vistas, camping, and outdoors challenges. Jim climbed 32 of Colorado’s 14ers. He had a lot more hiking boots than work suits.  Ran triathlons and loved riding his bike in Northern Colorado with the Rockies on the western horizon. He enjoyed riding RAGBRAI for four years, twice with his “brother” Wayne Fett as part of the St. Ambrose RAGBRAI team, led by his sister-in-law and brother-in-law Joan and Steve Conrad.  Created a small publishing company to champion books written by his wife on peace, conflict resolution, anti-bullying and helping young people find their voices.  Taught Industrial Marketing courses at Colorado State University Business School  Helped found and serve on the Board of Directors for the first charter school in Fort Collins to serve twice-exceptional students, with both giftedness and learning challenges. That school thrives today.  Served as Habitat for Humanity’s first Corporate Relations Manager Corporate Relations Manager where he created a new Corporate Partner Program and "House that Banks Built" project. He enjoyed meeting Habitat families as they moved into their first homes.  Consulted across businesses, including serving as a SAGE Consultant with the Innosphere in Fort Collins.  Taught himself many practical DIY skills, from laying concrete to drywalling basements.  Avidly and voraciously read. He was working on a novel at the time of his passing. A wonderful celebration of Jim’s life took place this summer so Jim could experience the appreciation and love. His cause of death was incurable, aggressive multiple myeloma, which he tried to transcend with great courage, and eventually accepted with equally great courage, grace, and even his dry sense of humor, inspiring all around him. A spiritual seeker, one of his spiritual mottos was, “You can’t control what happens in life, but you can always control how you respond to it.” As an advocate for future patients, Jim and his wife were caring, vocal voices at the UC Health Cancer Center and Poudre Valley Hospital seeking far greater accountability, compassion, efficiency, and humanity—none of which was easy, especially during a pandemic. They hope his example and voice will help improve care for patients for years to come. Jim is survived by his wife, Susan (Stuekerjuergen) Skog, Fort Collins, CO; his sons Jeffrey, Fort Collins, CO and Evan Skog, Denver, CO; his parents, Jean and Clarence Skog, Iowa City, Iowa; his sisters, Julie Colony and Janet Smith of Iowa City, his brother-in-law, Gordon Tribbey, and many other dear family members and friends. In his honor, Jim requests that you do something you’ve never done before to make the world a better place. And if it aligns with your heart, consider donations to World Central Kitchen, Southern Poverty Law Center, and/or the Pathways of Northern Colorado hospice in Fort Collins.

Tributes

James Douglas Skog

September 6, 1955 - July 15, 2022