Charles William Thiel

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Janet Elizabeth Wolfe Thiel; daughter Genevieve Elizabeth Thiel of San Diego, California; and son and daughter-in-law Drs. William Howard and Kristina Wyatt Thiel and granddaughter, Elizabeth Eve Thiel of Iowa City, Iowa.

Charlie was born in New York City in 1939. He graduated from McBurney Prep School in 1956 and from the University of Tennessee Business School in 1960. He was in ROTC at the university, served in the National Guard and was called to active duty in 1961.

He married Janet Wolfe on September 9, 1960. The couple moved to New York City where Charlie joined his dad at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. He became a part of the auditing department in 1962 when the company was implementing computerization and was charged with developing computer audit techniques.

Charlie was hired as EDP Audit Manager at American Express Corp in New York and tasked with developing computer audit techniques for the company worldwide. His work took him to European, Far Eastern and Caribbean countries.

In 1984, Charlie founded Shatswell, MacLeod Software Group – later Focus Technology Group. Working with his partner David Burke, Charlie created the fraud detection software, ‘Banc Audit’. Until his death, he was an active partner and CEO of FTG.

Adventures in the world of technology inspired Charlie to write a book “Fraud Trekking with Charlie” which is in the editing process at present.

Charlie was a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, a Certified Fraud Examiner, a Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Fraud Specialist. In Wilmington, Charlie was a member of the American Legion Post 10 and served as treasurer of the Crosswinds HOA.

The family asks that any memorial gifts be made to the American Legion Post 10, USS North Carolina Battleship Fund, P.O. Box 3094, 702 Pine Grove Dr., Wilmington, NC 28408.