Celebrating the Life of Charlie Jablonski

Today we celebrate the life, and mourn the loss, of former SMPTE President Charlie Jablonski, who passed away unexpectedly over the weekend. Charlie's influence can be found, not just in the breadth of his work, but in those called colleagues, friends, and family. At the helm of some of the industry's biggest changes, like HDTV, Surround Sound, and the move to IP networks to name a few, his contributions to the world of media cannot be understated.

Charlie graduated from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 1977 and went on to work with NBC in 1983. He had a number of roles at the company over his 39 years there including 16 years as their VP of Engineering and Technology and 36 years working with NBC Olympics in various capacities since the 1988 Games in Seoul. His work surrounding the Olympics even earned him an Engineering Emmy® in 1996.

Charlie served as SMPTE President from the beginning of 1999 to end of 2000 and served as SMPTE Past President from 2000-2001. However, SMPTE was not the only organization to be influenced by Charlie. He was on the board of many institutions like FORA.tv, Kindheart, Western Broadcasting of Puerto Rico, and even the NBC Olympic Committee just to name a few. His contributions to the industry are unmatched and he worked with organizations like RPI, DuArt, and Plug and Play until his passing.

Charlie is survived by his wife, fellow RPI alum Ellen Ackerman. She, and his work, carry on his intrepid legacy into the world of media technology. Known for his rapier wit, diligent mentorship, and kind spirit, he has cemented himself in the hearts and minds of everyone he came to meet throughout his life. He will be sorely missed.