Who is Steve Jbara?

Steve Jbara is an innovative entrepreneur with interests in sports, advertising, finance, and technology. He is the founder and president of the Grand Rapids Gold, the Denver Nuggets’ NBA G-League affiliate, and serves as CEO of the Detroit-based advertising agency Atomic Honey. He is also the Chief Strategy Officer for WaitTime, a startup focused on crowd behavior insights, and Air Company, a carbon-negative technology firm.

Jbara began his entrepreneurial journey in 2013 by moving a Development League team to Grand Rapids, which quickly became profitable and led to strong merchandise, sponsorship, and ticket sales. In 2021, the team partnered with the Nuggets, with Jbara overseeing business operations. In 2026, Jbara made NBA G League history by becoming the first executive in league history to win Executive of the Year honors three consecutive seasons. Voted on by fellow team presidents, the award recognizes his leadership, innovation, and continued impact in growing the Grand Rapids Gold organization.

He has launched and sold two startups, one in CO2 recycling and another tech company acquired by Amazon. In 2019, he founded Atomic Honey, which partners with 25 U.S. startups.

A Kalamazoo, Mich. native, Jbara holds degrees in marketing and computer science from Trine University and has worked at Ford Motor Co. and R.L. Polk. He serves on several boards, including the Detroit Sports Commission and the NBA’s Team Leadership Committee. A licensed helicopter pilot, he travels between his ventures by aircraft.