Steve Zwick

Steve Zwick is editor-in-chief of Ecosystem Marketplace, a news service focusing on payments for ecosystem services.

Prior to joining Ecosystem Marketplace, he served as editor-at-large for Futures Magazine and a contributing writer for Time Magazine, Fortune Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal.

A native of Chicago, he attended St. Ignatius College Prep and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

Prior to pursuing his career in journalism, he was a derivatives trader and broker. During this period, he became active in local environmental issues, which led to an interest in sustainable development. His interest in journalism was re-awakened when the International Financing Review asked him to begin a weekly column on index arbitrage.

He moved to Germany in 1993, and spent five years traveling Europe and parts of Africa, financing his travels as European Correspondent for Futures Magazine,Deutsche Welle Radio, and Lloyd's List.

In 1998, he began writing for Time Magazine, Fortune Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal -- ostensibly to raise his profile so that he could move back to Chicago. He developed a reputation as one of the Continent's top business reporters, and was twice short-listed for the Business Journalist of the Year Award. During this time, he traveled frequently to Chicago, where he contributed both investigative and entertainment stories to the Chicago Reader.

He planned to return to Chicago at the end of 2001, but stayed in Germany to cover security issues for Time Magazine after the 9/11 attacks.

In 2003, he wrote a screenplay, "Generosity" which was based on reporting of asylum-seekers in Germany. It was optioned but never produced.

The following year, he accepted an offer to become a rotating host on Deutsche Welle's "Newslink" program, which is broadcast on the Sirius network and National Public Radio in the United States, as well as across Australia, Asia, and Africa. He also produced and presented Money Talks on Deutsche Welle, while completing a second screenplay.

In 2005, while researching a story for Fortune Magazine, he discovered Ecosystem Marketplace and became a frequent contributor.

Over time, his contributions to EM became more frequent, and he became managing editor on a part-time basis in 2008. He became full-time managing editor on 1 January, 2010.

Areas of Expertise
He considers himself more of a conduit than an expert, but is capable of speaking on: derivatives, sustainable development, and environmental finance. The latter includes payments for ecosystem services, payments for watershed services, wetland mitigation banking, water footprinting, biodiversity banking, and REDD.