HotWax Systems takes great pride in attracting and retaining some of the most talented professionals around the globe – and Jacopo Cappellato is most certainly one of them. As we’re preparing to celebrate our 20th anniversary this year, it’s important to recognize the individuals who have shaped this company into the world’s leading Apache OFBiz® authority, and helped shape the future of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems through the build of the ultimate Unified Commerce Platform, Apache OFBiz Accelerator.
The beginning of 2017 marked a double celebration for our chief technologist, Jacopo: 9 years since he first joined the HotWax executive team, and 7 since he was named a Vice President of the Apache Software Foundation. Even before his role as chairperson of the Apache OFBiz Project Management Committee, he was influential in the conception and direction of the open source ERP system and its open source community. Jacopo began actively participating in the OFBiz community in 2003, and has dedicated thousands of hours to managing and contributing to the OFBiz project.
Read more about our unified commerce platform and its open-source origins in Jacopo’s latest blog post on Apache OFBiz Accelerator and Apache OFBiz Basics
A well-known open source software advocate, Jacopo participates in and contributes to multiple additional open source projects and communities, and has spoken at open source software conferences in the U.S. and Europe. Prior to joining HotWax Systems, Jacopo participated in several ERP projects for the company he owned for 12 years, TAU Informatica.
Jacopo graduated from the University of Padova with an M.S. in Computer Science Engineering, specialized as an ERP analyst, OFBiz analyst, and developer, and is now HotWax’s CTO. A Sun Certified Java Programmer, he enjoys martial arts, graphic novels, and rooting for his favorite Italian football team. Go Fiorentina!
9 years of knowing Jacopo
An integral part of both HotWax Systems and the Apache OFBiz Community, Jacopo is known as the problem-solver, the highly analytic and impeccably logical tech specialist who will not only figure out and reason his choice for a solution over multiple others, but will also take the time to explain it in detail for everyone to understand, contribute and learn. His patience and optimism, honesty and deeply human qualities make him a favorite among clients and engineers alike.
It’s not surprising then that an overwhelming number of colleagues have offered to share their thoughts on the last decade since they’ve been working with Jacopo, and to wish him a warm “Happy Anniversary!” from all of us, and “Here’s to the next 9 years!”
“Jacopo is one of the cleverest and kindest people I know. As the head of the OFBiz project at Apache, his OFBiz expertise is unsurpassed. He is also a favorite to work with among our team of engineers and our list of clients. Everybody loves working with him! He is very insightful and level-headed.
He also has a feisty side! Not everyone knows this about Jacopo, but I have seen his passions flare (he is Italian after all!) around issues that are important to him. I respect his commitment to doing what is fair and right, and to doing it artfully. Couldn’t ask for a better friend and colleague. He’s a stellar human being.” – Mike Bates, CEO
“Jacopo is a very clear and pragmatic person. I have enjoyed every moment I have spend with him in the Apache OFBiz PMC, working on various client projects, managing the business, and developing Apache OFBiz Accelerator. I think it’s the accessible and helpful human in him that makes him successful in all of these roles. I feel blessed to have Jacopo as friend and business partner.” – Anil Patel, COO
“I was also relatively new to HotWax when Jacopo started. Nine years later, I have had the pleasure of working with Jacopo on numerous projects as well as spending many hours with him in our office and onsite with clients. I know I can always count on him for honest answers, sound technical recommendations, a quick wit, a calm demeanor, and a cool head no matter what is going on.” – Patrick Gibbons, VP of Client Experience
“He makes you feel important”
“Jacopo is one of the best techno-managerial people I have ever met in my life. I admire his work style and I love his way of saying “Perfect!” He is very disciplined, optimistic, well organized and always ready to help in any way he can. Any kind of complex technical problem that you might have and discuss with Jacopo will be sorted out quickly and to the advantage of both parties involved.
The way he provides notes on a problem is just amazing. Whenever I read an email or document where he’s explaining a notion or discussing the pros and cons of a solution, I‘m blown away and think to myself that nobody could match Jacopo’s clarity in writing. I am very happy and fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work with Jacopo. I wish him good luck and a very happy long life in future.” – Ashish Vijaywargiya, VP of Operations
“I’ve had the privilege of working with for close to 11 years, initially as a contributor to Apache OFBiz and then later as a colleague at HotWax Systems. Throughout that time Jacopo has always been someone you could depend upon as a consistent, unwavering voice of reason. Whether it is his cool and calm interjections into the sometimes heated OFBiz community debates or his ability to find simple and elegant solutions to seemingly complex business requirements, his voice is always one you can rely upon to help find the best path forward.
As PMC Chair for the OFBiz project, Jacopo is required to perform many functions beyond what is expected from any other community member and he does so in a timely and professional manner without ever a word of complaint. He did not ask for the role, and while I sometimes feel guilty about nominating him for it, to this day I can think of no better person for the job. As a personality, Jacopo is funny, interesting and kind and I’m extremely happy to be able to work with him on a regular basis and I always look forward to our next in-person meeting.” – Scott Gray, Software Developer
“Jacopo is one of the few architects I have come across who constantly tries to tackle any problem with an open mind, entirely free from presumptions regarding the problem or the solution itself. This allows him to investigate multiple alternate solutions simultaneously and to decide on the best one. Few professionals master this ability as well as he does, which I personally believe is a result of how logical and organized his entire thought process is.
As a person he is very likable, humble and a bit shy, but this all makes him very receptive, a great colleague to work with, and everyone’s “go-to” guy. I am often moved by the respect he shows to all of our colleagues, the way he encourages us engineers and makes us feel important, and the fact that he trusts our individual capacity to overcome obstacles. We’re all fortunate to work with him.” – Swapnil Shah, Supply Chain Professional
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