Steven Rechtschaffner

Steven Rechtschaffner counts making video games as his 5th career, since his first (so called) job, as a member of the US Freestyle Ski Team. From his on-snow days, he took on the job as Program Director for the same team, producing live and TV ski events and working towards an Olympic birth for his then-favourite sport.

Upon marrying, Rechtschaffner move to Manhattan (for his wife to attend design school), where he joined the upstart Swatch Watch company, eventually becoming it's VP of Marketing and Creative Director. It's while in that job that he began to develop his Directing and Production skills, as all of Swatch's commercials, ads and events were created in-house and under his creative direction.

From Swatch, Rechtschaffner ventured west to join Propaganda Film, where he worked primarily developing new programming for TV and home video. He played a key role in finding, or working with emerging young talent like directors Alexander Payne, Michael Bay, Antoine Fuqua and producer/director Alan Poul.

From LA, He moved north to Vancouver in 1994, to go to work for Don Mattrick at the 90 person Electronic Arts, Canada studio. Since 94, he has Executive Produced numerous titles, including his personal favourite, SSX. While at EA, Rechtschaffner moved from VP and Executive Producer role, into the job of VP and Creative Director for the Worldwide Studios Group. There, he was challenged with working with senior creative and production staff, working on both original and sequel titles, primarily in the SF, LA, London and Montreal studios.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Rechtschaffner is also credited with creating a new snowboard event called "Boardercross" in 1991, which recently made it's Olympic debut at the 2006 Winter Games. On March 31, of 2006 Rechtschaffner resigned from his position at EA and is planning on staying retired - until he's not.

He lives with his wife and 3 children in West Vancouver.