Biography
Eric Schurenberg is an award-winning journalist and media executive turned instructor and non-profit entrepreneur. He now continues to advise journalists and entrepreneurs through his roles as instructor and mentor at the University of Chicago and the US Chamber of Commerce.
Eric started his journalism career as a fact-checker at Money magazine, eventually becoming the publication’s editor-in-chief. Along the way, he won a National Magazine award for personal service as a reporter. As editor-in-chief, he won Time Inc.’s Luce award for service journalism every year he was eligible.
From Time Inc., Eric joined CBS Interactive, where he launched CBS MoneyWatch.com and ran the newsroom at BNET.com. The sites together won more than a dozen awards for design and journalism during his tenure.
His most recent stint in commercial journalism was at Mansueto Ventures, owner of the business publications Inc. and Fast Company, where he played several roles, including editor-in-chief of Inc. and eventually CEO of the umbrella company. Under his leadership Inc. was a National Magazine Award finalist for general excellence category two successive years, winning the coveted title the second year. As CEO of Mansueto Ventures, he posted record financial results every year during his four-year tenure, culminating in the company’s first profitable year in 2021.
Other roles inside and out of journalism include deputy editor at Business 2.0, assistant managing editor at Fortune, and vice-president at Goldman Sachs.
Since leaving Mansueto Ventures, Eric has devoted himself to helping the media industry thrive in today’s challenging business and cultural environment. As distinguished instructor in journalism, he teaches media literacy at the University of Chicago’s Graham School. Though his non-profit startup, the Alliance for Trust in Media, he advises local newsrooms on innovative practices designed to rebuild trust with audiences. (Clients include the Texas Tribune, Chicago Public Media and Minnesota Public Radio, among others.) He continues to advise entrepreneurs as a senior fellow for small business education at the US Chamber of Commerce.
Outside of work, Eric flies single-engine planes and plays club tennis, where he has been a member of teams that won divisional championships in their category in northern California and New Jersey.