We had two Billboard Insider readers reach out to us after our article yesterday on the life and passing of Stephen Adams.
From Niki Gleason
“Stephen Adams touched so many of us outside the business world. As the wife of Kevin Gleason, President/CEO of Adams Outdoor Advertising, I would like to express my gratitude for all the ways that Steve Adams enriched my entire family’s lives. He possessed a gentle, gracious and generous spirit that will be missed.”
From Jim Johnsen at Johnsen Fretty:
“What a great man. I had the good fortune to speak to him on the phone several times and meet with him in person twice. One time I met him at the twin cities FBO where he arrived in his king air and we met in the hangar. Could not have been nicer or funnier. Per my mentor, Dennis Brush, who did several deals with him while I was still in short pants, the guy loved leverage and did not hesitate to put down his personal guarantee. He barely escaped with his undergarments a few times. What did Kenny Rogers call that kind of guy? He also knew how to make friends on wall street and had great access to capital. While one would think that Adams Outdoor was his largest holding…it pales in comparison to his little LBO called “trailer life” (magazine and stores dedicated to campers) which he turned into a marketing juggernaut rebranded Affinity Marketing…which he took public and then leverage recapped several times dropping $Bs into his pockets. My guess is his IQ was off the charts.”
“RIP Steve Adams. The end of an era.”
And from Nancy Fletcher, past President/CEO of the OAAA
“I think he was first interested in OOH because of his long friendship – years and years ago – with RO Naegele and Bob Naegele, Jr. He was the son of a news giant in MN, Cedric Adams. The Walter Cronkite of MN. Steve was from Minneapolis – as I am – and he was a huge MN success story in a number of businesses. He was particularly talented at recruiting and supporting long-term talent at the C-suite level. Hire the right people and let them shine. With his wine business he introduced Kevin Gleason to the industry (wine being a passion of Kevin’s for a long time now.)”
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From Gale Bonnell, Adams Outdoor VP, Business Development
In Honor of Steve Adams:
There is a parable in the gospel of Mathew that makes me think of Steve Adams . It deals with talents that are given to us and the responsibility that we have to those talents. Steve Adams was blessed with many talents, and showed great responsibility and faithfulness with those talents.
Steve’s company, Adams Outdoor Advertising, created an environment for hundreds of people like me to build careers and livelihoods for ourselves and for our families. Steve took his talents and gave back in the greatest of ways, and the lives of his employees have been enriched as a result. Adams Outdoor Advertising not only provides jobs and careers, but also unleashes our abilities for creativity and problem solving in a way that has enriched our lives and our communities.
Mr. Adams company has provided a platform for the human spirit to soar.
Rest in peace Steve and Thank you!