About Steve Jbara, CEO

Steve Jbara is a dynamic and creative entrepreneur with a diverse portfolio spanning sports, technology, finance, advertising. He brings strategic guidance, investment acumen, and operational expertise to the various companies within the SMDD portfolio.

 

Beyond SMDD, Steve is the founder and president of the Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets. Additionally, he is the CEO of Atomic Honey, a Detroit-based advertising firm, and the Chief Strategy Officer at WaitTime, a startup that utilizes AI to analyze crowd behavior in real time at sports venues.

 

Furthermore, Steve holds the position of Chief Strategy Officer at Air Company, a Brooklyn-based CO2 technology company that produces carbon-negative vodka by converting captured carbon dioxide. This innovative process also supports the production of glucose, a potential food source for NASA’s space missions.

 

Steve entered the entrepreneurial community in 2013, three years after earning his degree from Trine University in Angola, Indiana. He purchased a Development League team in Springfield, Massachusetts, relocating it to Grand Rapids. The team, affiliated with the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, quickly became profitable, a first in the league's history.

 

In 2019, he launched Atomic Honey, an advertising agency employing a services-for-equity model to support startup growth. The agency has since expanded nationwide, collaborating with 25 companies across the country.

 

Originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Steve Jbara graduated from Trine University in 2010 with degrees in marketing and computer science. He then worked at Ford Motor Company and R.L. Polk in Detroit, the latter offering crucial data insights within the automotive industry.

 

Steve actively participates in numerous boards and committees, including the Detroit Sports Commission, the Gilmore Car Museum Board, Double-Down Development Board, the NBA’s Team Leadership Committee, The G League’s NBA Broadcast Committee, Endeavor Detroit BOD, Leaders for Kids Board of Directors, Green Door Distillery BOD, and Yote BOD. He also supports the Special Olympics of Michigan and Brilliant Detroit as a board member.