Founder & Principal, SJConnects Communications
Steve is a seasoned professional with more than 25 years’ experience as senior agency leader, corporate communications executive and reporter. He has worked across consumer, corporate, B2B and sports & entertainment marketing verticals running traditional media outreach, social media executions, issues and crisis response, executive communications coaching, as well as diversity & inclusion/internal communications efforts
After starting his career on Chicago’s airwaves at WSCR-AM, Steve worked for Amoco Corp. (now BP) in a variety of roles before moving to McDonald’s Corp. for an internal communications role. Later, he moved to the agency-side with MSLGROUP leading programs for General Motors, Nike and the U.S. Army’s sports marketing efforts. With a move to Weber Shandwick, he continued to focus on consumer and sports marketing accounts for Army, State Farm and Polaris, while broadening his role to leading diversity & inclusion.
Steve brought all of his expertise to bear as vice president of public relations for sports marketing and media firm, Intersport. There he helped create the firm’s communication architecture and drive visibility in key traditional outlets and social media channels. He started SJConnects just before taking the Intersport role.
Steve has been on award-winning teams as a reporter/documentarian (regional Emmy), on the client-side (NAIC investor relations award), and the agency side (PRSA Silver Anvils, Event Marketer Ex Awards and IT List, Tellys, Cynopsis Media, Sports Business Journal, PR Week, PCC Silver Trumpet). He also is a speaker and mentor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, as well as Chicago incubators 1871 and the Polsky Exchange.
Steve earned his bachelor’s degree in print journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign while achieving a minor in history. He lives in Evanston, Ill., with his wife, three boys and a dog named Pablo Picasso. There he serves as a mentor with Evanston Scholars and volunteers at the Soup at Six soup kitchen while trying to revive his side-hustle dream of being a lead singer.