CAS development director develops donations

Craig Steiner, photo courtesy of Steiner.

SIUE’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) has a new development director tasked with developing different income streams for the College. Craig Steiner, CAS development director, brings a wealth of experience with him to the position.

Steiner, born and raised–and now raising his children–in Swansea, Ill, began his ‘career’ with SIUE in 1977 pursuing a degree in mass communications, emphasizing in television and  radio. He began getting a lot of work from television stations in St. Louis and decided to leave SIUE, just short of his degree.

“In 1981, I started picking up a lot of work at the television market in St. Louis. I had enough of a portfolio of work that it was taking more of my time than what I was putting into my work at school. And, I was making enough money that it was off-setting the benefit–what I perceived as the benefit at that time–of what I could do here [at SIUE],” said Steiner. “And, professional demands and business demands took me out of school. So, I left here six hours short of my degree.”

Steiner worked at KETC Channel 9, beginning just as KETC began its video production subsidiary. He was tasked with running a for-profit business, within a non-for-profit. Steiner said the revenues generated supported the equipment and operational infrastructure of KETC.

Steiner spent 10 years in as a production manager before taking over the Director of Operations of the facility, while remaining in charge of the subsidiary operations. He also developed business lines for the T.V. station, and oversaw operations, engineering, and production. After proving his mettle at KETC, he was tasked with designing and project management of a new facility, built in Grand Center, for the television station.

When the project was completed, Steiner said he decided to move onto a different career path. He began consulting and ended up taking a position as the Director of Development for St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, Ill.

“It was a hospital that I worked in while I was in high school, the hospital I was born in, in the community where I grew up. I wanted to make a difference in the community that I had grown up and was raising my kids in,” said Steiner.

Steiner began a development program for the hospital, became the director of marketing and development, and eventually took over the regional marketing and development position with three hospitals operating beneath him.

Steiner stated that in 2010 St. Elizabeth’s Hospital went through a leadership change and he was downsized. He began consulting again, and then spoke with Gary Hicks, associate professor and chair of mass communications, about coming back to SIUE and completing the degree he had began in 1977. Steiner stated that Hicks worked with him and he was able to come back and complete the requirements for his degree. Steiner said he spoke with Hicks about how the university had changed since he was a student.

“I talked with Gary a little bit and told him of my interest in the college and university. I told him I was amazed at the growth, amazed at what has changed [at SIUE] since I went to school here in 1981 and ’82. I was just overwhelmed by the growth that had taken place and the quality of the education that was here,” said Steiner. “I was really blown away by how much it had grown and the things that had happened here.”

Steiner said he is glad to be back at SIUE and is looking forward to developing funds for different areas of CAS. His position in CAS will help expand support for programs and activities in CAS and help with institutional development and growth.

“I’m basically the intermediary between the Foundation, between the Alumni Association, and between the College of Arts and Sciences,” said Steiner. “What I hope to do for the College is take us to the next level for fundraising. We have to complete the capital campaign. My three main priorities right now is to help develop funds for the media center for the Mass Communications Department, help complete the equipment allocations for the new science building, and then develop some new scholarship programs.”

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  1. llafond says:

    Welcome, Craig! We hope that you and your family enjoy your time at SIUE.

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