Steven Brett Fleischer

Steven Brett Fleischer, a respected public relations professional and executive with the former Bell Atlantic and other technology companies, passed away on December 18, 2021, in Emerson, NJ, following a lengthy illness. He was 58 years old.

A resident of Emerson, NJ, Steve is survived by his daughter Alyssa and son Jared of Grand Blanc, Michigan; loving and devoted sister Cheryl Fleischer O'Brien of Montebello, NY, and brother Lee of Woodcliff Lake, NJ.

Born in Brooklyn, NY on March 26, 1963, Steve was the son of Renee and Stanley Fleischer, and spent a lot of time with Renee's second husband, Irwin Arthur Kahn. Steve spent his childhood years in Rockland County, NY, Cranston, RI, and northern New Jersey. He was a graduate of Suffern (NY) High School where he participated in soccer, track, chorus and theater, and received his bachelor's degree in Communications from Temple University.

Steve spent the majority of his career as a professional communicator, strategist and advisor to senior leadership with a wide range of experience and expertise in the US and overseas. He had a front row seat to the explosive growth of the wireless telecommunications business at the end of the 20th century and over the last two decades.

After receiving his communications degree, Steve began his career in New York in 1986 as an on-air disc jockey for WRKL Radio, once Rockland County's premier community news and talk radio station. At the same time, he held a second job - an entry level position as a customer service representative at the NYNEX Mobile Communications Company call center in Orangeburg, NY.

In 1987, Steve left the radio station for a full-time position as NYNEX Mobile's manager of partnership relationships with Philadelphia-based Bell Atlantic Mobile, a future NYNEX merger partner. Within three years, he had joined the Bell Atlantic Mobile corporate communications team as a senior manager of technical communications and corporate communications, and moved to Pennsylvania.

In 1996, Steve was promoted to Director of Corporate Communications for Bell Atlantic International Wireless, one of the world's largest wireless portfolios at the time with interests in Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Steve oversaw global strategic public relations and investor communications for the company's businesses in the US and overseas. As a member of the senior staff, he also provided strategic counsel to Bell Atlantic International executives in the US and overseas, as well as international partners. When Bell Atlantic and NYNEX merged to form Verizon, Steve was appointed Executive Director of Public Relations for Verizon Global Solutions.

With his experience and expertise in the telecom industry and international communications, Steve joined Scandinavian multi-national telecommunications company TeliaSonera in 2000. He served as its first US-based Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications for North America, based in Pluckemin, NJ, until 2004. He provided industry analyst outreach as a consultant to US technology company Avaya before joining global PR consulting firm Weber Shandwick in 2005. Named senior vice president and global wireless practice lead, he moved with his family to Seattle to oversee a major account there and direct more than 100 PR professionals. He left Weber in 2009, moved back East, and started his own firm, Source PR, as president and chief storyteller.

Steve was a motorcycle enthusiast, featuring himself in his black motorcycle jacket in front of his Harley Davidson on his Facebook page. He had a great sense of humor, often poking fun at himself but not others. He also was a tremendous communicator, writer, thinker and conversationalist. He will be sorely missed by his friends and family.

Donations may be made in Steve's memory to the Lyme Disease Foundation.]