Steve Quast, who worked with Ron Santo on fundraising golf tournament for diabetes research, has died at 72

Steve Quast worked behind the scenes to create marketing initiatives and events for Chicago institutions and businesses including the Cubs, the Bears, Goose Island Beer, the DePaul Blue Demons, WGN Radio, the Chicago Flower and Garden Show and WFMT Radio.

A big Chicago sports fan, his clients included all-time Cubs greats Ron Santo and Ryne Sandberg. It was Mr. Quast who convinced Ron Santo to expand his charity work for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation by hosting a golf tournament. The Ron Santo Golf Experience was held annually for 16 years, until Santo’s death in 2010, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for diabetes research.

Mr. Quast, known as “Q,” died of cancer Dec. 8 in New Orleans, surrounded by family and friends. He was 72.

Born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to Harry and Verona Quast, he attended Maine South High School in Park Ridge, where he was a friend and classmate of Hillary Clinton. After graduating from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where he was president of his class, he got a master’s degree from American University in Washington, D.C., then went to work for DePaul’s athletic department.

He was there from 1973 to 1978, the era when DePaul men’s basketball coach Ray Meyer led the team to national prominence. He moved on to be director of sports sales and integrated marketing for WGN and later started his own business, Quast and Associates, which he and his wife Ellen Frisbie ran together until his death.

“I benefited from his friendship and wise counsel for 30 years,” said John Hall, founder and chief executive officer of Goose Island Beer Company.

“Steve fought to bring value for all involved in his business dealings,” said Brett Reed, a friend and business associate at Marquee Sports Network. “The true value was that we all had a chance to work with him.”

“Steve was warm, authentic and an endless fount of good ideas,” said another longterm client, Jeff Vukovich of Nationwide Insurance.

Mr. Quast loved Chicago and his Lincoln Park neighborhood, where he raised his children and for many years was a volunteer with and board member for his neighborhood association, Ranch Triangle.

“He was a person who always gave more than he took,” said Mike Duffy, a friend since childhood.

Mr. Quast spent 23 years in the U.S. Navy reserves, serving as a public affairs officer and, after 23 years, retiring with the rank of lieutenant commander.

In addition to his wife, survivors include his son Christopher, daughter Annie and brother Harry Quast. Visitation will be at 9 a.m. Dec. 30 at Old St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 700 W. Adams St., followed by a funeral mass at 10 a.m.