STEVE PALEC's friend, LeRoy Butler, may have said it best. The capital of Wisconsin is not Madison, it's Steve. Born and raised in Milwaukee by immigrant parents, Steve is a first-generation American who began his love of music on February 9, 1964. The Beatlemania that encompassed much of the world also grabbed the attention of the then seven-year-old and never let go. Steve was obsessed with the exciting new music he heard on the radio daily. In addition, his love of sports had him fascinated with the legendary sportscasters he listened to intently. Between music and sports, he found himself from a very young age practicing for his lifelong career in broadcasting long before he even knew it would happen. Unable to make up his mind between sports and music, he chose both. Steve began his on-air work in his high school days and has been a Milwaukee radio personality since the '70s, even winning a national ADDY award. He has worked in the music industry and interviewed artists, as well as radio broadcast journalism covering Milwaukee area professional sports teams. In June of 1987, Rock & Roll Roots, a Milwaukee institution, was created and Palec's baritone has provided its voice for all of its thirty-two years, missing only one live show in the three plus decades. His weekly Sunday morning history of music show is one of the longest running programs on Milwaukee radio. In addition to his now total forty-five-year career on the air, Steve has overlapped a second successful profession in commercial real estate for the last thirty-five years. He's worked for multinational firms, run his own company, brokered deals with high profile corporations and individuals, and today serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for Irgens, a large and respected real estate development firm in Wisconsin and Arizona. As such a prominent Wisconsin personality, Palec has used his network and talents to better his city and state through personal, professional, and philanthropic movements as often as possible. He has served on the boards for respected institutions including the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame and the Hunger Task Force; served as a contributing blogger for OnMilwaukee; participated as a judge at the Wisconsin State Fair Sporkies; held fundraisers for numerous worthy health and community causes; and emceed important events for organizations and non-profit enterprises. Steve's personal experiences in radio and real estate have provided a lifetime of amazing stories, relationships, and experiences that truly do read like the lyrics of a great American song. Despite his life of awe and famed friendships, though, it is the simple things that continue to bring him the most joy: his amazing wife, Aleta; their five children, Joe, Haley, Jaimie, Steph, and Ben; his dog, Luke; and his good friends. It is with these loved ones you can find Steve taking in a great game at Miller Park or Lambeau Field, often with a bourbon in his hand. It is his hope that, through this book, others can learn to experience joy, laughter, and awe in all that life has to offer. Learn more about Steve at www.stevepalec.com.
