Honorees will be formally recognized May 5-7, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara

Parks Associates today announced the “40 Leaders in Connected Living,” recognizing the executives, innovators, and visionaries shaping the future of the connected home ecosystem. The research firm will formally recognize the honorees at the 30th annual CONNECTIONS™: The Premier Connected Home Conference, taking place May 5–7, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara in Santa Clara, California.

As Parks Associates celebrates 40 years of industry research and thought leadership, the firm continues its legacy of bringing together the most influential players across the connected home ecosystem. CONNECTIONS™, now in its 30th year, serves as a cornerstone event where leaders across IoT, security, energy, AI, and digital health convene to drive innovation, partnerships, and business growth.

The 40 Leaders in Connected Living are recognized for their leadership in advancing technologies and services that connect devices, platforms, and partners. Their work is enabling smarter, more integrated consumer experiences and shaping the future of connected living.

“A key part of innovation in connected living is the ability to bring together technologies, partners, and ideas to create seamless consumer experiences,” said Elizabeth Parks, President & CMO, Parks Associates. “We are proud to recognize this group of leaders who have helped build the industries we represent.”

Connected leaders list

40 Leaders in Connected Living Honorees 

  1. Amena Ali, Board Member and Advisor 
  2. Ramzi Ammari, SVP, Corporate Planning & Strategy, Universal Electronics 
  3. Greg Baldauf, Founder, Oaken Stave Ventures 
  4. Olivier Bernard, Worldwide GTM Lead, AWS 
  5. Rolf Bienert, Managing and Technical Director, OpenADR Alliance 
  6. Kristen Bowring, Master Volunteer; Former Lowe’s, Amazon, Stanley Black & Decker 
  7. Wayne Caswell, Founder and Senior Editor, Modern Health Talk 
  8. Karen Chupka, EVP, Global Connections & Events, NAB 
  9. Janet Collins, Marketing Director, Z-Wave Alliance 
  10. Ken Fairbanks, CEO, INSTEON 
  11. Ted Haeger, Vice President of Support & Education, Control4 
  12. Steve Hanna, Distinguished Engineer, Infineon 
  13. Scott Harkins, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, Resideo 
  14. Helen Heneveld, President, Bedrock Learning 
  15. Morgan Hertel, Vice President of Technology & Innovation, Rapid Response Monitoring Services 
  16. Kevin Kraus, Vice President, Alliances & IoT Business Development, Fortune Brands Innovations 
  17. Kimberly Lancaster, Former Founder, Caster Communications 
  18. Gene LaNois, Vice President, Business Development, Vivint 
  19. Stuart Lombard, Founder & CEO, ecobee 
  20. John Mack, Managing Director & Sector Co-Head, Security & Safety, Raymond James 
  21. James Mault, MD, Founder & CEO, BioIntelliSense 
  22. Francisco Moreno, Associate Vice President, PLL, Smart Life, Calix 
  23. Todd Mozer, CEO & Chairman, Sensory, Inc. 
  24. Michael Myers, Partner, Ethos Capital 
  25. Tricia Parks, Founder, Parks Associates 
  26. Jeff Patton, CEO, Camillus LLC 
  27. Reza Raji, Founder and Advisor 
  28. Tom Reed, Head of Commercial Security Partnerships, RapidSOS 
  29. Tobin Richardson, President & CEO, Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) 
  30. Bill Scheffler, Founder and Vice President Sales, Trident IoT 
  31. Gary Shapiro, CEO, Consumer Technology Association (CTA) 
  32. John Stankey, CEO, AT&T 
  33. Tyler Tribe, CTO, Becklar 
  34. Steve Trundle, President & CEO, Alarm.com 
  35. Gordon Van Zuiden, Founder, Branch Partner, CyberManor / Daisy 
  36. Kenneth Wacks, President, Home, Building & Utility Systems 
  37. Gene Wang, Chairman & Co-Founder, Care Daily 
  38. Paul Williams, Board Member and Advisor 
  39. Ed Wolff, CEO, Aerwave 
  40. Don Young, CEO, Everon

For data or to speak to an analyst, contact Mindi Sue Sternblitz-Rubenstein.

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates helps companies identify new opportunities, refine strategy, and accelerate growth in connected technology markets through data-driven insights and industry expertise. With more than 40 years of experience, the firm delivers proprietary consumer and industry research, market forecasts, and strategic analysis that guide business decisions across personal, connected home, small business, and commercial technology ecosystems. Parks Associates supports clients in navigating evolving markets including AI, security, smart home, broadband, entertainment, energy, multifamily, smart buildings, and connected health.

The firm also fosters industry growth and collaboration by convening thousands of leaders each year through its flagship executive conferences, including CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video.  Learn more at https://www.parksassociates.com.

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