Kenneth P. Kirchman

KIRCHMAN, KENNETH P. Kenneth Kirchman, a prominent Orlando businessman and founder of Kirchman Corporation, died at his home in Winter Park on Tuesday, March 13, 2007. He was 72. A Florida native, Mr. Kirchman grew up in the Belle Glade area and has made Central Florida his home for more than 50 years. Mr. Kirchman founded Kirchman Corporation, a privately held banking software innovator, in 1968 and built the company into a multi-national corporation that served over 6,000 banking institutions around the world and employed hundreds of professionals in the Orlando area. Kirchman Corporation was a leading provider of automation software and compliance services to the banking industry and was acquired in 2004 by Metavante Corporation. Kirchman banking software is still marketed and sold by Metavante under the Kirchman brand name. Mr. Kirchman started his business nearly 40 years ago in Altamonte Springs. He founded Florida Software in 1968 on a shoe string but with the big vision of providing advanced software that would automate the millions of transactions a commercial bank handles. He was regarded as a pioneer in this industry and his early efforts were instrumental in the development of the packaged banking software industry. Florida Software became Kirchman Corporation and today millions of people who write checks, or make deposits to their banks have their transactions handled at some point by software created by the Kirchman Corporation. Though well-educated and world-traveled, Mr. Kirchman was known by friends and employees as the quintessential "Florida Cracker." He was an avid outdoorsman and participated regularly in international recreational shooting sports in Argentina, Denmark, England, Ireland, Scotland and Spain. He and wife Deanna spent much of their leisure time at Lake X, their 10,000-acre ranch, which is also a wildlife refuge, south of Orlando. During his years leading the Kirchman Corporation, he was well known for his popular annual company picnics held at Lake X, which was also home to Mercury's famous "secret" proving ground where new engines and hull designs were tested for nearly 40 years. He also hosted large user conferences in the Orlando area with noted key speakers such as Tom Peters ("In Search of Excellence") and entertainers such as Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick. Mr. Kirchman was known by many as a generous benefactor. In 1979, he contributed the Stetson University's first $1 million gift to establish the Kirchman Chair of Humanities. His active and committed interest in the community led him to serve on Stetson University's Board of Trustees and serve as President of the Alumni Association. He was also former Director of Public Radio and Television of Central Florida. He served on former Florida Governor Bob Graham's Economic Development Task Force and was a Trustee of Florida House in Washington, D.C. Mr. Kirchman attended university at Stetson where he earned a B.S. in Mathematics. He has a business degree from Harvard Business School. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law (LLD) from Stetson. He served as a First Lieutenant in the Guided Missile Branch of the U.S. Army and, prior to founding Kirchman Corporation, held positions with Sperry Rand Corporation, The National Cash Register Company and General Computer Services. Mr. Kirchman is survived by his wife, Deanna Pitman Kirchman and niece Victoria Pitman Smith. He has three children, four grandchildren and many nieces and nephews along with many grand-nieces and grand-nephews. The family will hold a memorial service to celebrate Ken's life for family and friends Tuesday, March 27th at 11AM. The event will be held at Lake X. The family requests that no flowers or donations be sent. Condolence cards can be addressed to the family and sent to P.O. Box 2519, Winter Park, FL 32790. Arrangements are by CAREY HAND COX-PARKER, 1350 W. Fairbanks Avenue, Winter Park, FL. 407- 647-1942