Title: Engineering Fellow
Company: PegaSystems
Location: Minnetrista, Minnesota, United States
James R. Samuelson, engineering fellow at PegaSystems, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Engineers for dedication, achievements, and leadership in information technology.
With over three decades of experience, Mr. Samuelson has established a distinguished career in information technology. He currently serves as an engineering fellow at Pegasystems, a role he has held since 2020. In this capacity, he leads data strategy initiatives for Pegasystems platforms and serves as the technical lead for partnerships with AWS and Google, helping Pega customers address their most complex challenges. His previous experience includes director of solution architecture at Pegasystems from 2014 to 2020, principal consultant at Daugherty Business Solutions in 2014, and owner of ETJ Enterprises from 2000 to 2014. He also served as director of IT at UnitedHealth Group from 2010 to 2014, director of UHT enterprise software services from 2007 to 2010, and director of technology at Dow Jones from 2005 to 2007. Earlier in his career, he was an engagement manager at Magenic Technologies from 1997 to 2005 and held various roles at Rockwell International from 1986 to 1997.
Mr. Samuelson laid a strong educational foundation, earning a Bachelor of Science in agribusiness from Iowa State University in 1982 and a Master of Business Administration in finance and management information systems from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, graduating with honors in 1986. He is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society, reflecting his academic excellence and commitment to professional achievement. Additionally, he is the author of “Microsoft DTS,” published in 2001.
During his undergraduate studies, Mr. Samuelson had a unique encounter with early computers, notably the Apple II. To excel in an economics course, he reverse-engineered a market simulation program, analyzing demand elasticity formulas and creating a program that optimized profitability in each round, garnering the praise of his professor. Additionally, in the mid-1990s, he was instrumental in designing and developing Rockwell’s first executive information system and operations data warehouse. These systems revolutionized executive decision-making by providing effortless access to real-time information. Executives could log in, review updates on financial data since their last visit, and drill down to identify key drivers behind changes. This innovation significantly streamlined the closing process, reducing the time required from two weeks to just one week. Additionally, he takes pride in contributing to an innovative architectural design utilized by IBM to secure a patent and implement it within the largest bank in China.
In light of his undertakings, Mr. Samuelson has received accolades from Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM for his innovations and contributions to their technologies and strategies, including the Innovation Award from UHG in 2013, the Inside Market Data Product of the Year Award from Dow Jones in 2005, the Thought Leadership Award from Microsoft in 2001, and the Chairman’s Award from Rockwell in 1993. He attributes his success to a steadfast commitment to learning, assisting others, and tackling challenging problems. Looking to the future, he aspires to create a broader impact by rebranding himself as a mentor for talented young professionals in the technical field. His goal is to provide opportunities that enable them to achieve even greater success than he has experienced during his career.
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