Obituary: Margaret Imai-Compton

Margaret Imai-Compton, distinguished Fellow of Canada's MRIA, qual research trainer and consultant, has died after a seven-year battle with ovarian cancer, during which she continued to pursue her passion for mountain climbing and her research career.

She was Principal of Imai-Compton Consulting, Inc. for more than 28 years, focusing on moderation, facilitation of creative workshops and ethnographic studies; and also worked as a Senior Consultant at Research Management Group for the last five.

She was born in 1952 in Kichijoji, Japan, and studied Library Science at the University of Toronto, Canada between 1970 and 1974. Forming her consulting company in 1991, she took an active part in the MR and innovation community, including US associations the QRCA (Qualitative Research Consultants Association) and AMA (American Marketing Association). Her teaching course 'Moderator Training' was rated as the top course taught at the MRIA (Market Research and Intelligence Association) - the organisation recognised her with a Fellowship as did new trade body CRIC (Canadian Research Insights Council). She was also a monthly columnist at VUE magazine.

She died on the evening of April 12th at the city's Princess Margaret Hospital, almost seven years after being diagnosed and having continued an extremely active lifestyle in the meantime. According to CRIC, she had 'a passion for mountain climbing and summited almost every major peak in the Rockies, Europe, New Zealand, Africa and South America'. Even chemo could not keep her away from the mountains - she went climbing between treatments.

According to the MRIA Margaret Imai-Compton was 'known for her passion and energy both professionally and personally' and had 'three great passions in life: her work, her daughter and mountain climbing'. She is survived by two brothers and her daughter, Carly Mei.

Donations in her name can be made to the Alpine Club of Canada by clicking here; and will be sent to the Margaret Imai-Compton Fund for a program called 'Girls on Ice' dedicated to teenage women.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.