Steve Kristan is making a difference in the community by closing the digital divide in Youngstown, providing emotional and spiritual support to divorced or separated persons, and officiating soccer games. Read here about his pet menagerie, enthusiasm for the Rotary Youth Exchange, and his wife’s majestic connection.
Name: Stephen Kristan
Preferred Nickname: Steve
Years in Rotary: 21
Resident of: Canfield
Hometown: I was born in New York, moved to Ohio at age 7, graduated from Austintown Fitch, attended college in Bowling Green, lived in Michigan for 11 years, and moved back here in 1996.
How long have you lived here? 25 years.
What brought you here, or kept you here? AT&T transferred me here from the Detroit area.
Education: Studied business at Bowling Green State University; graduate classes at Liberty University.
Occupation: Retired from AT&T; former candidate for Mahoning County Commissioner; now starting encore career at Oak Hill Collaborative in Youngstown (where I advocate for expanding broadband access and teaches technology classes for seniors on using mobile technology and shopping online safely).
Who is in your family circle? Wife, Cathy; four sons, Stephen Jr., Jeff, Bryan and Ian; 3 grandchildren, Alabama, Lulu, and Sonny.
Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names and what are they like? Ha, ha, do we ever have pets! Lucie is a Jack Russell terrier, about 11 years old. Kylo is a Goldendoodle, about 5 months old. Dexter is a Ball python snake, a few years old. Also, at last count, we had about a dozen tropical fish.
When you are not working, how do you like to spend your time? Filling out Rotary Profile questionnaires. Doing Divorce Care ministry work with Cathy. Officiating high school soccer games in the fall, and serving as an elder at Old North Church.
Why did you join Rotary? Ed Hulme convinced me this club was the best in the area. He was right.
Why do you remain a Rotarian? It helps to be part of a larger group that makes the community better. Despite my retirement and now encore career, I'm often just as busy as I was when working full time with AT&T. Being part of Rotary is enjoyable knowing that Rotary is making a difference in our community.
Which Rotary Project resonates with you and your understanding of our community's needs? For me, without a doubt, it's been the Rotary Youth Exchange. Cathy and I have hosted three kids over the years, and it's a great experience learning about other cultures and having young people learn about the U.S.
What does Rotary's motto "Service Above Self" mean to you? It means putting the needs of the community first, rather than your personal needs.
What would you be doing on Wednesdays if you didn't attend the weekly luncheon meeting? I've done lots of Rotary make ups at different clubs. While each club is different, there is a common camaraderie in all clubs. So, I'd probably be attending another club meeting on a different day.
Which type of Rotary socials do you prefer - black tie affairs or casual attire? It depends on whether Reid [Schmutz] is wearing bright color trousers or not. I prefer outside, warm weather events.
A Rotary tradition is to have sing-alongs during meetings. Would you ever lead us in a song? Yes, let's bring back singing at our meetings. BUT - if we sing the song “Smile,” make it mandatory that we all have to smile while singing it.
What do you think of Scott Schulick's Rotary pants, and would you wear a pair? No, see my previous answer about Reid's pants.
What's a story of yours that you don't get to tell often enough? I'm married to royalty. My wife is related to the Queen of Sweden.