A great guy

Tom’s work at American Experiment frequently focused on local government, where mismanagement, malfeasance, and the imposition of political agendas too often escape public scrutiny.

Sometime in the fall of 1989, when I was managing the re-election campaign of U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, I got a message that Tom Steward was “stopping by” for an interview. I confess the prospect made me nervous. It felt like the local version of hearing, “Mike Wallace wants a word.”

Everyone knew Tom. He was an integral member of WCCO-TV’s powerhouse investigative unit, a team that produced the kind of in-depth reports unseen outside of network news. We ran a squeaky-clean operation, but I still waited for his visit like a kid in a dentist’s chair.

Funny thing, I don’t even remember what we talked about, only that the topic was very tangentially related to our campaign. What I do remember is how Tom carried himself. We chatted for about 20 minutes while his cameraman packed up the klieg lights. Tom had an easy way, a quick laugh, and a relaxed candor. I think we talked mostly about Gopher football.

After he left, my wife (the campaign’s office manager) popped in to check on me. All I could say was, “What a great guy.” And that was Tom: He walked in like Mike Wallace and walked out like your college buddy.

I never imagined that I would have the privilege of working with Tom on and off in three professional settings over the first 25 years of the 2000s. That made it all the more heartbreaking when I heard that Tom had passed away in August, after a seven-year battle with stage-four cancer.

Friends of American Experiment — especially those who followed his column in Thinking Minnesota — know well the impact of his investigative work and now share in our sense of loss, both for a colleague and for a friend.

When John Hinderaker became president of American Experiment in 2016, he knew that the organization would not become Minnesota’s go-to source for conservative action merely by thinking Big Thoughts and producing the occasional white paper. The Center needed daily activism through regular commentary and lively investigative reporting. Tom was the ideal fit for his team.

Tom brought to the Center a career-long reputation for his quick intellect, his gift for explaining complex issues clearly, and his unwavering honesty. Tom spent five years as a reporter and producer at KSTP-TV, and then a decade at WCCO-TV, where he developed a strong reputation for hard-hitting journalism. It was also at ’CCO that he met and married Colleen Needles, then an anchor at the station. Beginning in 2002, he developed insider expertise in public policy with five years as Communications Director in the office of U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman. From there, he spent time as a producer at Tremendous! Entertainment while also creating investigative reports for conservative public watchdog organizations.

Tom’s work at American Experiment frequently focused on local government, where mismanagement, malfeasance, and the imposition of ideological agendas too often escape public scrutiny. His reporting was distinguished by its fairness: He never made things personal, and he held fast to the highest standards of journalism. Tom never overstated or twisted facts to make a point. Instead, his gift was to hold up a clear mirror in which officials’ own words and actions would reveal the truth. His unwavering commitment to honest reporting made his work powerful and enduring.

His colleagues at American Experiment will remember Tom for his skilled work as a journalist but also for his enthusiasm, creativity, and reliably good cheer. He was great company. Tom listened to a good story with as much gusto as he told one — and in both cases, it is said that his booming laugh could be heard from the parking lot.

Tom’s life was built on a bedrock of Christian faith, most evident in how he endured his illness. While his appearance might reveal the effects of his treatment, his good nature never wavered. When I asked about his therapy, he would answer candidly, even when the news wasn’t encouraging. Yet he always framed his response in hope and gratitude. Especially gratitude. He unfailingly praised the efforts of his medical team at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and spoke with awe of the steadfast encouragement he drew from his family.

One morning, out of the blue, he called to thank my Wednesday night Bible study group for our years of prayer on his behalf, not only for his recovery, but for Colleen and their kids, as they uplifted Tom’s spirits with warmth and laughter. He told me that day it was the prayer for his family that prompted his call.

Tom Steward was, in every sense, one of the good guys. His presence at American Experiment was both an honor and an inspiration. RIP, dear friend.