For well over a decade, the voice an inquiring person heard when calling SRI was that of Kinney Thiele. Her professional manner and her encyclopedic knowledge of SRI gave the outside world an assurance that their needs were being met as well as they could be.
Kinney Thiele came to SRI as a secretary in 1976 and, except for a two and one-half year stint in the Peace Corps, remained at SRI nearly thirty years. During that time, she continually sought new challenges and progressed through ten title changes and levels of responsibility that ultimately gave her extensive knowledge of SRI. Notable in that growth were important contributing roles such as coordinating the clients of SRI’s successful Decision Analysis Group.
Kinney Thiele parlayed her love for Africa, developed in the Peace Corps, to materially assist SRI’s largest African project, which trained personnel of the copper mines of Zambia. With great sensitivity and compassion, she helped many African trainees feel welcome here in Menlo Park.
Above all else was the helpful image of SRI Kinney Thiele gave to the outside world on the Inquiry Line. She respectfully thought of all callers as potential customers and worked smoothly to connect them with appropriate SRI staff. She was an ideal person for this role because she knew virtually all the projects and key people at SRI, including many of their skills and their experience base. Combining her respectful attitude with her wide knowledge, she successfully conveyed untold contract opportunities to SRI staff.
As recounted by a staff member, here is the epitome of Kinney Thiele’s skill. The inquiry went something like this: “Three or four months ago, I met a gray haired gentleman from SRI on a plane from London to San Francisco. I have lost his card but need to speak to him urgently. He was on his way home from someplace in Africa.” Within minutes, a connection was made; in three weeks, the SRI staff member was on a plane to Kazakhstan. From this vague telephone inquiry, SRI won a $1.2 million contract.
For this notable role and for representing SRI so well to so many, Kinney Thiele is well deserving of this election into the SRI Alumni Hall of Fame.