Prior to joining NES, Steve was Senior Vice President for Public, Environmental and Marketing Activities for the United Company. Located in Bristol, Virginia, the United Company was a diversified natural resources company with select diversification in non-energy areas, with operations in coal, oil and gas, cogeneration, gold mining, manufacturing, real estate, hotels, and golf operations with both domestic and foreign interests.

Steve's extensive government service includes Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Lands and Minerals Management (1983 to 1989). During his tenure Steve directed national programs for management of public lands, mineral resources, and surface mining. One highlight was his successful effort with Senator Bumpers to secure the passage of a law eliminating fraud in the leasing of onshore oil and gas. From 1981 to 1983 Steve was Deputy Director, Office of Surface Mining, Department of the Interior. Steve directed the operations of the agency including operation and reclamation regulations for coal mining activities. He worked with Congressman Mo Udall to pass legislation that eliminated abuses in the Coal Surface Mining and Reclamation Act. This legislation resulted in the elimination of the 2-acre exemption, and ended the "string of pearls" phenomenon within the mining industry. Steve also recommended substantially increasing federally designated Wilderness Areas by adding 16 million acres to the protected lands. He worked to ensure Wild and Scenic Designation for the Rio Grande River in New Mexico and also acquired additional lands for recreational use, including West Water Canyon on the Colorado River. As Deputy Director he installed performance-based standards to assure greater environmental protection and higher compliance.

Before joining the Department, Steve was Executive Assistant Director at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Economic Development (1970 to 1981). In this capacity he was responsible for oversight related to 14 state programs including parks, forests, and mining. During his service, he expanded and added numerous parks throughout the state of Virginia including the Chappokes Plantation State Park, the Sky Meadows State Park, the False Cape State Park, the Grayson Highlands State Park, and the Leesylvania State Park. He developed infrastructure to ensure a balance between public accessibility and resource protection with the Virginia state park system. During his tenure, educational facilities, nature centers, additional trails, qualified staff and other resources were enhanced. Steve expanded and strengthened environmental controls of coal mines and worked to strengthen Virginia environmental laws and enact tough new environmental standards to protect Virginia's streams and rivers from mining activities through enactment of the Virginia Surface Mining and Reclamation Act. He worked with the Virginia General Assembly to expand the staff of the Virginia Department of Conservation. Personnel for the department grew from 5 people to 150 people. The Virginia Department of Conservation oversees mining activities within the state of Virginia and human resources are crucial to ensuring environmental protection.

Steve received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in economics from the University of Richmond in 1970 and performed graduate work at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Steve has four children, two grandchildren and resides in Falls Church, Virginia.