JEFF SWYSTUN
JEFF SWYSTUN
It is with great sorrow that we share the unexpected passing of Jeff Swystun in early September.
Left to cherish Jeff’s memory are his daughter, Paris Deley (Tyler); his twin grandchildren, Jager and Thera; his sister Pamela and his brother Robert. Also missing Jeff are his former wife, Lois Wilkie, and her children, Jean, Melisande and Elyse. Jeff was predeceased by his sister Sandra and by his parents, Maureen and Nestor.
Jeff was born in Winnipeg on March 6, 1965, and attended Laidlaw Elementary School, St. Paul’s High School, the University of Winnipeg and Babson College, making many friends along the way.
“Swys” was a force. He was the leader at countless social occasions - on stage, at the mic and on the dance floor. For so many of us, he was the funniest person we knew. He had a razor-sharp wit and was often the first to laugh at one of his own jokes, knowing that you couldn’t help but follow suit.
Jeff had a tremendous sense of fashion, possessed an unparalleled collection of matching pants and sneakers and had an unwavering confidence to pull off multiple plaids at the same time.
Jeff loved playing tennis, hiking and power walking. He also enjoyed sailing and was a proud catamaran crew member for weekend races at Victoria Beach and an enthusiastic tour guide when leisure sailing with out-of-town guests on Lake Tremblant.
Jeff was a voracious reader and was rarely seen without a book under his arm. Sometimes, they were written by him. He penned three books, including “Why Marketing Works: 7 Time-Tested, Brand-Building Principles,” which topped the advertising and marketing categories on Amazon, and “TV Dinners Unboxed: The Hot History of Frozen Meals.” He also ghost-wrote another 10 books. When he finished reading a book, Jeff was rarely done with it. He was also a prolific reviewer. His thoughtful reviews can be found both online and in numerous publications, including the Victoria Beach Herald. His review of Mark Twain by Ron Chernow was published online in June.
Victoria Beach was the site of countless special memories at the family cottage on Sunset Boulevard, on Patricia Beach, at the VB Clubhouse or in a booth at the Moonlight Inn. Jeff also enjoyed spending time with friends and family at Mont Tremblant.
Jeff could often be found on his laptop in a coffee shop writing articles for his website and developing campaigns for clients.
During his career, Jeff worked for Price Waterhouse (now PwC), Pollard Banknote, Assante Wealth Management, Interbrand and DDB Worldwide before founding his own company, Swystun Communications. Jeff built himself into a globally recognized brand and marketing expert and appeared on CNBC, CNN, ABC, CBC and BNN Bloomberg. He spoke at more than 100 conferences around the globe and had been quoted in numerous publications, including the Globe & Mail, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone and USA Today. Most recently, he enjoyed writing marketing columns for Manitoba Inc. magazine.
Jeff loved teaching and sharing his knowledge with the next generation of business leaders. He gave numerous guest lectures at the University of Toronto, Western University, Queen’s University and Dalhousie University, where one of the students in the audience was his own stepdaughter.
His global clients over the years included Google, McDonald’s, AT&T, Ralph Lauren, eBay, Volkswagen, the City of London and baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays.
A celebration of Swys’s life will be held on November 5, 2026 at the Park Theatre, 698 Osborne Street at 7:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, e-transfer donations are being accepted at geoff.kirbyson@manitoba-inc.ca for a scholarship in his honour at St. Paul’s High School. Donation cheques can also be made out to “The Swystonian Foundation” and mailed to 960 Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg, MB, R3M 0C8.