William Anthony Bianco Jr.

1939 - 2015

William Anthony Bianco, Jr.
October 26, 1939 - April 11, 2015
Resident of San Jose
William Anthony "Bill" Bianco, Jr., former CEO and President of Santa Clara-based Kinetics, passed away peacefully on April 11, 2015 surrounded by his family in San Jose, California. He is survived by his wife Marie, the "love of his life" of 55 years as well as his children, sons William III, Richard, daughters Carol Ann Bianco-Webb (Jerry) and Elizabeth Bianco-Smith (David), and grandsons Christopher and Justin; his sister Judith Wangerin (Ron) and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
In 1973, Bianco founded Kinetics, which became the mechanical contractor of choice for generation, purification and distribution infrastructure for gasses and chemicals used in the semiconductor, biotech, and pharmaceutical industries. When he retired in 2001, the company had annual revenues topping $800 million and was credited with playing a major role in the growth of Silicon Valley.
Bianco was born in Bronxville, New York, on October 26, 1939 to Elizabeth and William Bianco. After a brief minor league baseball career, he followed his father joining the teamsters union, and went to work for a mechanical and plumbing supply contractor. Labor would be an important part of his life throughout his career – as would his unwavering fairness, honesty, integrity, and concern for the people around him – demonstrated in his daily commitment to do the right thing – to be "about people."
For 26 years, Bianco served as a board member of the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee where he dedicated himself developing high-purity training programs nationwide for Local 393. He was a member and served as a board member of the Mechanical Contractor's Association of America where he was appreciated for his contributions to education and research programs. In 2000, he was presented with the UA Martin J. Durkin Lifetime Achievement Award for dedication to highest standard of excellence. In 2001, Bianco received the Distinguished Service Award from the Mechanical Contractors Association of America. And in 2002, he became one of a few contractors of the Local 393 Training Center Wall of Fame recognizing his commitment to the Pipe Trades program. In 1998, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo presented Bianco with Congressional recognition for outstanding and invaluable service to the community.
A lifelong horse racing enthusiast, Bianco followed his dream of raising and racing thoroughbreds, eventually running one of his horses in the Kentucky Derby. He was twice appointed to the California Horse Racing Board by then Governors Schwarzenegger and Davis. There, his first priority was to improve working conditions and provide benefits for the backstretch workers who cleaned the stables.
Bill Bianco was a founder of the Tech Museum of Innovation where he developed the High Purity Piping Hands-on Exhibit. He founded the Bianco Family Fellowship in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University. With his wife Marie, he is appreciated for playing a leadership role in the founding of Symphony Silicon Valley. The Bianco's dedicated an oncology treatment unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering in honor of their dear friend, Cathy D. Kiley. The Bianco's are members of St. Stephen's in-the-Field Episcopal Church.
Bianco loved coaching each of his four children in baseball and softball. In addition to horse racing, he loved the SF Giants, golf and his weekly bocce matches at Campo de Bocce.
A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, May 1, 2015 at 11:00 A.M. at Lincoln Glen Church, 2700 Booksin Avenue, San Jose, CA.
Memorial donations in lieu of flowers can be made to St. Stephen's in-the-Field Episcopal Church in San Jose.