We have sad news to report this month. This magazine recently suffered the loss of our stalwart and dependable contributing editor, Claire Swedberg, who passed away recently after a short illness. 

Claire started writing for the magazine after a freelance search in 2000 and quickly established herself as a go-to contributor who could pick up the phone immediately after an assignment came her way and start rolling on it. Whenever a storm hit an area, she would reach out to us to ask if she should get in contact with contractors working the repairs, most notably after Hurricane Katrina. She turned around the Katrina article as the story was still unfolding, and we were able to go to press with breaking content, which is quite a feat for a monthly magazine. The struggle of those in the affected area—and the heroes who rushed to help rebuilding efforts—gained swift recognition from her report.

Claire had a knack for project profiles, teasing out details from the key electrical contractors and other players on the job site, and her portfolio is an archive of the construction being done by readers like you. One of our contractors loved her work so much, he often called us to request her when he had another notable project to feature. He knew she would do a great job, and he’d have a showpiece to share with his current and future clients. 

She also became the On the Market columnist, featuring the opportunities and technologies used in low-voltage vertical markets. Claire was always enthusiastic and ready to get started on the next project, and she required little hand-holding or guidance from us—an editor’s dream. She was tenacious, dependable and easy to work with, and we’re lucky to have had her for these past two and a half decades. 

There’s no replacing what we and the community have lost. Claire Swedberg gave so much of her time and energy to the electrical construction industry, and you can see for yourself the depth of her content here. 

She is survived by her husband Michael Wirth (whose artwork was on the cover of the April 2023 issue), her sons Alexander and Kyle, her parents and her dog Sheila. Claire, and her enthusiasm for this magazine, will be deeply missed.