Steve Epley is, first and foremost, a man who loves to think. He was born and raised on a farm in Central Iowa. Steve’s father was an agronomist, one of the early pioneers in the seed corn business. While Steve dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps, college found him interested in psychology, and he eventually became a college professor. Early on, Steve turned to a career in research—first as an academic, then at the Institute of Child Behavior and Development at the University of Iowa, and finally at Frank N. Magid Associates, the nation’s leading research and consulting firm serving the broadcast industry.
At Magid, Steve served some of the firm’s top clients, such as the ABC Network in New York City. Steve became the firm’s Director of Research, and later created a division of the company that served clients in health care, banking, and higher education.
Steve founded Epley Research & Consulting in 1987, and the company quickly became known for its highly personalized approach to researching customers. Now in its 25th year, Epley has served some of the nation’s largest and best, including companies such as UPS, UnitedHealthcare, AT&T, Wells Fargo, Sprint, American Century, and Ecolab, among others. Drawn by his love of uncovering what lies beneath the surface of what customers say and do, Steve and his team help companies discern what it takes to be successful and build solid, mutually beneficial relationships with the people they do business with.
A few years ago Steve finally made his way back to the farm. Today, he and his wife Kathy reside on 42 acres in the rolling hills west of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, accompanied by an occasional turkey and a small flock of chickens. Yet, Steve still remains active in the Epley business today, serving primarily in a consultant and advising role.
