Florida Dealer Designer dies in fall from swing at NeoCon

A 57-year-old woman died after falling from a swing Tuesday afternoon at the NeoCon show held at the Merchandise Mart in River North.

Jacqueline E. Albertine, 57, fell from a swing that was on display at the David Edward showroom on the third floor of the building, according to authorities. This was also the first time David Edwards had their own permanent showroom.

Albertine, of Miami Beach, Florida struck her head and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 4:23 p.m., the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said. An autopsy Wednesday found she died of blunt force head trauma and her death was ruled an accident.

Albertine worked in commercial furniture sales at Corporate Design Choice Inc., a Herman Miller dealer in Miami, according to her LinkedIn page.

Albertine was attending the NeoCon show on behalf of the company, where she had worked for 14 years, company president Shawn MacMullin said.

“It is hard to comprehend the tragic loss of our beloved Jacqui Albertine,” MacMullin wrote in a statement. “She was loved by so many friends, customer[s] and coworkers.”

 In a statement, a spokeswoman for Merchandise Mart confirmed the death, but offered few details. The Mart finished hosting the three-day NeoCon convention Wednesday.
     
“We are saddened by the tragic death of a woman who was visiting one of our showroom tenants and was involved in an accident with one of the tenant’s products,” spokeswoman Lynda Murphy said. “We extend our condolences to the family.”