Edward Gene "Ted" Cape, Jr.

Edward Gene (“Ted”) Cape, Jr. passed away last week in Jacksonville Beach, FL at the age of 54. He is survived by his wife Karen and daughter Daniela of New York, NY; his parents Joy and Gene Cape of Gainesville, GA; and his siblings and their families: Cliff, Sherry, Caroline, Victoria and Cutler Cape of Gainesville, GA; Jill (Cape), Bobby, Bailey, Kate and Brady Pless of Gainesville, GA; and Bart, Sarah, Cailee, Madalyn and Easton Cape of Tampa, FL. And his dog, Buddy of New York, NY.

Ted was born in Gainesville, GA on September 30, 1964. He attended Candler Street Elementary, Riverbend Elementary, North Hall High School, Georgia Tech (undergrad and Ph.D.), and Harvard Business School.

Ted was Founding Director of the Cardiac Dynamics Laboratory at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and on faculty at the University of Pittsburgh, with appointments in Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, and Medicine (Pediatric Cardiology). During his academic period he published over 40 articles in peer-reviewed journals, seven textbook chapters, over 100 conference abstracts, and a Harvard Teaching Case (Disruptive Technologies); won the Young Investigator of the Year Award of the American Society of Echocardiography; conducted research on cross-border technology diffusion in the global economics division of Merrill Lynch; and studied chemical engineering unit operations at University College London.

Beginning around 2000, Ted was an Investment Banker at UBS Warburg (healthcare financing, mergers & acquisitions) and, in 2003, he started The Sapphire Group LLC, a private equity firm.

Ted was a member of the International Association for Energy Economics, American Economic Association, Turnaround Management Association, American Bankruptcy Institute, Society of Labor Economists, the Detroit Economic Club, The New York Academy of Sciences, American Finance Association, Eastern Economic Association, HBS Club of New York; and selected for Task Force/Working Groups such as NATO Advanced Science Institute. He was a reviewer for international journals and, since leaving full-time academia 23 years ago, continued efforts as an active speaker and practitioner in education, including Advisory Board at Georgia Tech; teaching a graduate elective on Financial Economics and Entrepreneurship at City College, CUNY (Adjunct Professor of the Year); visiting professor at Penn State; business mentor for NSF-Supported Program with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC; NIH-Supported Program at the Institute of Arctic Biology (University of Alaska); and designed various Continuing Education courses.

In the non-profit arena, he was President of Alzheimer’s Action Foundation, and Chaired the Sustainable Business Board, Global Autism Project (operations in NYC, Ghana, West Africa and Northern India). He had long participated in the “economic development” area, with current focus on MI, GA, & FL. He traveled through South Asia and on delegations to China: senior advisor for a technology product launch, three week invited lecture tour of major hospitals, and export & distribution planning for medical imaging equipment.

Ted spent more than two decades working on behalf of under-represented groups in the job market and privileged education tracks, facilitating paths for women, minorities, and any excluded or disadvantaged group in a range of exclusive domains; funded scholarships in three states; and was involved in work to address the disproportionate representation of Veterans in the homeless and unemployed populations, and their experience with rapidly emerging problems such as PTSD and TBI.

Ted will be remembered for his numerous and varied professional and intellectual achievements, his eye-roll–worthy jokes, giving back, pier runs, his ever-expanding personal library, extensive notations in books, Starbucks Club outings, competitive participation in fantasy baseball and football, enjoyment of movies and music of all genres (except “art films”), “spy missions” and “ninja training,” deep understanding of anything he was passionate about, and intense loyalty to and love for his friends and family.

A private service will be held at a later date.

Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com

Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Ga. 30501.

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