Even as a person who’s made a living off of the ability to craft a narrative, sometimes I’m left simply without words. Today is one of those days. It’s unreal to me that I have to even write the following sentence: Maureen Jenson, a pioneering and industry trailblazing journalist who made a career and life out of covering the consumer technology and custom integration channels, has passed away.
I am beyond blessed to have had the opportunity, like so many of us, to work closely with Maureen right at the outset of my own career in the consumer tech media space. She was a guiding light and source of inspiration and leadership for so many in this space, and someone who had a profound impact in so many ways.
Maureen’s career path reads like one of those old CVS receipts. It’s packed with bylines at countless publications and for many organizations, including: Editor-in-Chief of Audio Video Interiors during its early years; stops at Home Theater magazine Stereophile Guide to Home Theater, CustomRetailer, Technology Integrator, and CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles. Most recently, she served as Editor-in-Chief of HTSA Insight magazine for Technology Insider Group.
“Maureen had an extraordinary gift — she could make any project feel both important and incredibly fun,” Carol Campbell, longtime colleague and Publisher of Technology Designer, said in a statement emailed out to the industry. “Her unwavering commitment to her craft was as memorable as the laughter and joy she shared with all of us who knew her.”
Similar to her career history, Maureen has a long list of much-deserved industry recognitions, including her induction as a CEDIA Fellow in 2011 and recipient of the IPRO Lifetime Achievement Award, and as a Women in Consumer Technology Legacy Award recipient in 2012.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have had Maureen in my life for the past 27 years. She was more than a mentor—she was a friend, a guiding light, and an inspiration to everyone she met, both human and animal alike,” Melissa Andresko, Chief Corporate Brand Ambassador at Lutron, said in the statement. “Maureen paved the way for so many women in our industry, breaking barriers with grace and strength. Her English charm, radiant smile, and unmistakable laugh left an impression that will never fade. Some of my most treasured career memories include Maureen, and I can only hope that those she inspired will continue her legacy by lifting up the next generation.”
In lieu of flowers, Maureen’s family requests donations in her name to the American Cancer Society. Her family and friends plan to hold a celebration of her life at a later date. Ahead of that, they’ve asked that anyone with a story or memory to share, or note they’d like to pass along to do so here.
