Tom Coffin, Founder and CEO of Simply Reliable, has passed away following a years-long battle with cancer.
A passionate contributor to the custom integration industry, Coffin always sought to aid others in their business. Whether it was through his podcast/blog smartPRENEUR, or through Simply Reliable’s software Coffin sought to elevate everyone getting started in the industry.
Coffin started his CE career in 1980 at Audio Craft (Wayne Puntel) as Regional Manager until 1990. From there, he worked for CI Integration firms IntelliNet, New Image Electronics and Digital Convergence Systems (1998 – 2005) and EnviroTech Integration (2005 – 2008).
After leaving EnviroTech, Coffin then went on to found Simply Reliable, Inc., a B2B mission-critical, SaaS platform for Small Businesses and a provider of technology solutions for systems integrators.
Alongside his business endeavors, Coffin also ran the blog/podcast smartPRENEUR for systems integrators, helping them streamline operations like proposals, inventory, and projects with automation, making them more efficient and profitable. Guest presenters offered knowledge for CI business owners to learn the ins-and-outs of running a CI business.
Jonathan Knapp, Coffin’s business partner and CTO at Simply Reliable, had this to say:
“[Tom’s] leadership has set a high standard for honesty and transparency—qualities especially refreshing coming from the sales department. He created and developed Design Paradigm, a structured approach to understanding and applying process in our often-unstructured world. Throughout his time here, Tom has demonstrated fearless determination in the face of challenges, and he continues to do so today.
“As someone who deeply values partnership and collaboration, working alongside Tom has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.”
Following Coffin’s passing, Simply Reliable will continue to operate under the leadership of Knapp. Coffin resigned in October 2025, with Knapp stepping in to take his place.
Prior to passing, Coffin wrote this to his clients at Simply Reliable, echoing his kindness and compassion for the industry he spent his life contributing to:
“…Thank you—for being a part of Simply Reliable, for your friendship, and for the time we’ve shared together. It has truly been one of the greatest honors of my life to share this journey with all of you. I love you all.”
Information regarding services and charitable gifts will be added to this page as information becomes available.
