Steve Stowe ’03 has enjoyed plenty of cool moments in his career working for the Florida Panthers and the Miami Heat. But the best part is helping those teams use their fame to make an impact on their communities.
By Walter Villa
When it was raining rubber rats as part of a uniquely South Florida hockey tradition, Steve Stowe was there, scooping those souvenirs up off the ice.
Years later, when Ray Allen made perhaps the most famous shot ever by a Miami Heat player, Stowe was there, too, standing in the arena tunnel, not far from history.
Stowe, now the vice president/ executive director of the Heat’s charitable fund, has enjoyed a lot of cool moments in his career.
The Miami native graduated from the University of Florida in 1995. He then went to Barry, earning two master’s degrees, in sport management and in business.
His Barry connections helped him get hired by the Florida Panthers in 1997— one year after the team made it to the Stanley Cup finals. Fans in those days would fling rubber rats onto the ice after a Panthers goal, and Stowe—who worked in game operations—was one of the folks who retrieved the pretend rodents, tossing them into a large bucket.
“I have a [rubber] rat in my office,” Stowe said. “It reminds me of those days.”
There have been even better days with the Heat.
Stowe started working with the elite NBA franchise in 1999 as part of the Community Affairs Department, and it’s been a perfect fit ever since.
“It is special working with a community that I care so much about,” Stowe said.
Over the years, Stowe has worked closely with team president Pat Riley and built relationships with many of the Heat players.
Although the pandemic put a pause on some of the Heat’s community events, Stowe believes the team will be back in full force for the 2022-2023 season.
That means that events such as Family Festival, the Miami Heat Gala, and the organization’s golf tournament are set to return.
Stowe spearheads all three events, and the planning inherent is a big part of his job.
The Family Festival brings in about 1,500 people and raises roughly $500,000. Fifty chefs participate, and there’s a “carnival atmosphere,” Stowe said. The venue rotates each year.
"It is special working with a community that I care so much about," Stowe said.
The Heat Gala—essentially a team dinner—was first held in 2006 at Riley’s home, and the Heat won its first NBA title 86 days later. Since then, it has been hosted in the homes of Shaquille O’Neal and Ray Allen, among others, with acts like Rick Ross and Boyz II Men performing.
The Heat’s annual golf tournament, which had last been held in 2019, was brought back this year in May, raising $150,000. Heat legends such as Alonzo Mourning and Glen Rice came out to the Biltmore this year for the event.
But it’s more than just fundraising for the community—it’s also about addressing issues the community faces, including social-justice and public health missions. Stowe started a law-enforcement program in 2020, for example, collaborating with the Miami Police Department and an organization called “Dedication to Community.” The goal is to create more understanding between police officers and community members. So far, more than 500 officers have gone through the program.
Stowe was also involved in many vaccination drives for COVID-19, and the Heat were recently given the “Value of the Game” award by the NBA due to their community involvement.
“As the world evolves,” Stowe said, “I’ve had to adjust and evolve too".