麻豆影院

When the Olympic torch is carried through Russia toward the opening of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi,聽Steve McCarthy聽(IntlAf鈥�80) and his team will have played an important role.

鈥淵ou can change the way the rest of the world sees your country and culture in a single captured image of the Olympic flame passing through your streets,鈥� comments Steve, chairman and CEO of Al茅m International, an experiential marketer, creator and producer of special events based in Louisville, Colo.

Steve started consulting in Russia two years ago in anticipation of the 2014 Winter Games. His team has worked on torchbearer operations, marketing and sponsorships.

Since the Atlanta games in 1996, Al茅m has consulted on, developed or coordinated and executed the torch relays for every Olympic Games. Included is the total production of the first around-the-world relay for the 2004 Athens Games and the first Youth Olympic Games relays in Singapore and Innsbruck, Austria.

The 2014 Olympic torch functions as a catalyst in Steve鈥檚 view as a means to show the world both the history and future of Russia.

鈥淲e鈥檒l show you Russia; its resilience, romance, progress, initiative and entrepreneurship,鈥� he says. 鈥淪ochi is a beautiful setting, and the venues are well developed to welcome the world next February after a 123-day torch tour through every corner of Russia.鈥�

Closer to home, the Al茅m team has worked on such diverse projects as the Democratic National Convention, presidential debates and the USA Pro Challenge, a Colorado cycling event.

鈥淎ll the excitement and education we have gained traveling to far-off places can鈥檛 match the inspiration we always have when we return to Colorado,鈥� Steve says.

Steve鈥檚 interest in international affairs began when he attended the Conference on World Affairs as a child with his parents. As an adult, he has moderated CWA panels and played a sponsorship role through Al茅m. Event management and sports captured his interest at CU when he became involved with the state鈥檚 cycling races, the Red Zinger Classic and Coors Classic Bicycle Race.

As a hobby, Steve collects torches used in almost all Olympic Games since 1936 when the first relay was staged. He has more than 30 torches. His two favorites are Atlanta鈥檚 1996 signed by Muhammad Ali and London鈥檚 1948 鈥渁ustere鈥� torch.

鈥淵ou see every face, age, place and all the possible means of transporting the flame,鈥� says Steve, referring to the Olympic torch relays. 鈥淚 hope to be a small part of every torch relay to come.鈥�

Photo courtesy聽Al茅m International