Parks Associates Announces 40 Leaders in Connected Living to be Honored at 30th Annual CONNECTIONS™ Conference

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

PLANO, Texas, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 30^th 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."

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. Registration is open for CONNECTIONS™.

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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Media Contact: 
Mindi Sue Sternblitz-Rubenstein
Parks Associates
972.490.1113
[email protected]

SOURCE Parks Associates