Information Beans: Steven Brown and Michael Madigan

Before being hired as press secretary for the Speaker of the Illinois House, he worked in a Southern Illinois University cafeteria.

“I learned a lot about gourmet food and fine dining,” Steve Brown said with a smile as he talked to a small classroom of SIU journalism students in the communications building. Brown discussed his various relationships with important Illinois political figures, including House Speaker Michael Madigan.

While working at the Illinois Capitol has been good to Brown, it has also made his home life a bit more strenuous. He travels from Washington, near Peoria, to Springfield several times a week. But being away from home makes him appreciate the time with his family even more.

Brown has an interesting family to say the least: he has been married twice and is in the 15^th year of his second marriage, has a son who is majoring in social justice and is in a hip-hop band, and has two more sons who play baseball and the drums.

“(Drums) are not a good thing to have when you have a home office,” Brown said jokingly.

But before ever having a family or engaging in politics, Brown developed an interest in journalism as a high school student in northern St. Louis. While he bragged that he was within shouting distance of Busch Stadium, Brown also hinted that there was very little future for him as a journalist if he stuck around.

So Brown got a modest scholarship and attended Southern Illinois University, at a time when the Daily Egyptians was being recognized for many awards. This meant Brown would have to start at the bottom and work his way up.

“Is there something I can help with?” Brown would ask whenever he sneaked away from dealing with the layout of the newspaper and into the newsroom. Eventually, Brown got his way and became a full-time reporter.

Brown loved the opportunities that journalism offered him and had a passion for the business. “I thought it was a profession where you could make a difference,” Brown said.

After getting his major in journalism and spending six months serving in the National Guard, Brown claimed there weren’t many opportunities available at any major newspapers. He began to form relationships with various political writers and started many important friendships that would help jump-start his career.

Brown got his big break when he was asked to join the administration of newly elected Chicago Mayor Byrne, the first female to head the city. It was Brown’s first look inside the operations of politics, and it gave him some notoriety in Illinois politics. It also allowed him to strike a friendship with Mike Madigan, who was working his way through the leadership of the House.

Brown needed a job after working for Byrne, and eventually Madigan hired Brown. It was originally supposed to be a three-month arrangement.

“We are now celebrating the 23^rd anniversary of that arrangement,” Brown said as he expressed his admiration for his boss. “I think Madigan is one of the best things to come into Illinois politics in a long, long time.

It is apparent that Brown enjoys working at the Capitol, and he says he will always have a passion for journalism, which he feels is the best source of news.

Brown provided further encouragement for the students on hand when he said, “I didn’t have any

math skills, which is part of the reason I got into journalism.”