Steve, a 20-year veteran of higher education administration is the Chief Business Officer for the Colorado School of Mines Foundation. He previously served as Vice President for Administration for Metropolitan State University of Denver (20,000 students), and as the Executive Vice President for the University of Central Oklahoma (16,000 students). His prior careers were in economic development, fund raising and social services. The Colorado School of Mines is one of the nation's premier engineering schools and the Foundation manages an endowment exceeding $395 million.

Over the years Steve has developed a reputation for strategic planning, creative problem solving, team dynamics, and public speaking. He has executed multiple higher education public private partnerships in facilities, health care, student housing, advanced manufacturing, brewing, hospitality, and others. He also created a partnership with the US Olympic Committee for a national training site at the University of Central for Paralympic athletes.

Steve is proud to have led the efforts which enabled the University of Central Oklahoma to win the National Association of College and University Business Officers' Innovation Award. In fact, UCO is the only university to have won this award more than once, having obtained the honor three times. Other awards include multiple national and regional awards for sustainability and green power use.

Steve is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Business Administration and has an MBA from Oklahoma Christian University. He has completed the Institute of Education Management program through the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Kennedy School's Mastering Negotiations program, as well as the prestigious Oxford Roundtable in the UK.