Canadian cable trailblazer Israel “Sruki” Switzer has passed away at the age of 87.

Through his advocacy for and understanding of cable technology, Switzer is credited with greatly advancing the Canadian cable TV industry and inspiring others such as Moses Znaimer and Ted Rogers, who led a boom in the telecommunications sector through the ’70s and ’80s.

In 2009, Switzer, who is the father of Hollywood Suite founder and former CHUM Television CEO Jay Switzer, was inducted into Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame, with the organization saying he was “widely regarded as the most knowledgeable cable technology engineer Canada has ever produced.”

His expertise in broadcast engineering was also behind the creation of CityTV in September 1972, which was co-founded by Switzer’s late wife Phyllis Switzer, alongside Jerry Grafstein, Moses Znaimer and Ed Cowan.

As word spread of Switzer’s ingenuity in building communications infrastructure, he also worked on projects in the U.S., U.K., New Zealand and Hong Kong.

“Sruki” Switzer died of a heart attack at his home in Phoenix, Arizona, where he spent his winters. He spent his summers in his hometown, Calgary.