In Remembrance of Tom LeVine

April 28th, 2008

As members of our community know, missives from Pop!Tech usually convey breathless excitement and enthusiasm, as befits an organization dedicated to exploring and accelerating visionary ideas.

But this cannot be one of those.

Last week, the entire Pop!Tech community suffered a profound loss. Tom LeVine, our much-loved CEO, passed away after a fierce, two-month battle with an inoperable brain tumor. The time between Tom’s diagnosis and passing was so shockingly brief that even now these words have a hall-of-mirrors quality to them. He was 56 years old, and the healthiest person most of us knew.

Tom left a tremendous imprint on our organization, serving at different times as both President of our Board and as CEO. He helped influence our growth and development for more than seven years. If you attended a Pop!Tech conference, watched a Pop!Cast, or participated in a Pop!Tech project, you benefited from his quiet leadership, ample talent and profound commitment.

Tom is survived by his wife Valerie and two children, Chloe and Remy. A special legacy fund for the family has been established by friends, and we encourage you to give generously. Tom’s family also established a blog where you can join many others in leaving your remembrances.

Even as we grieve this terrible loss, Pop!Tech continues to grow and thrive, and look forward to a bright future which honors Tom’s many contributions. We look forward to another wonderful conference in October, and to continuing our many efforts to accelerate the positive impact of world-changing people and ideas. Tom’s life and sudden passing reminds us all that our work is vital, and the time for action is now.

Thank you, Tom.

We miss you.

- Everyone at Pop!Tech