#MediaMonday – Alex Simon
Alex Simon is the managing editor of The 100 Companies, a digital platform originally created by journalists with regional editions across the globe, including The Arizona 100, which is powered by our team in partnership with Simon and reaches more than 50,000 people each month.
Alex manages editorial duties and coordination of The 100 Companies’ eNewsletters and websites as well as helping with growth, both in currents members’ markets and in potential expansion candidates. He is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and received a bachelor’s degree from Elon University. He eventually made his way to Arizona, where he earned a master’s degree in sports journalism, before heading back east earlier this year. As a journalist, he’s traveled all across the country, writing stories for Baseball America, MLB.com, News21 and others.
So, Alex, time to share!
What got you interested in journalism?
I’ve always found myself drawn to the art of storytelling, and when I was in college at Elon in North Carolina, I found the student newspaper to be a wonderful outlet to do that in a variety of ways. Even though I started there without a true grounding in journalism, I’ve really fallen in love with the industry over the years and have been fortunate to pursue a career in the field for some wonderful people and at some well-regarded outlets.
How many editions of The 100 Companies are there in total, including specialty editions?
The 100 Companies is currently serving 28 markets globally in our interconnected network, including 22 geographic-based and six industry-specific markets. The Arizona 100 has been part of the Network since 2018. For a full list of our markets, check this link out!
When you lived back in Arizona, what were your favorite restaurants and other haunts?
My absolute favorite restaurant is Little Miss BBQ, which had its original location on University Ave. near the airport, but is now in the Sunnyslope neighborhood in Phoenix. I also enjoyed going to Phoenix Public Market in downtown Phoenix, but it closed recently. Finally, given my previous time in the South, I remain very partial to Waffle House.
What have you been binge watching since the onset of COVID-19?
The best show I have seen during the pandemic was Ted Lasso on AppleTV+, about an American football coach going across the Atlantic to England to coach soccer. I also re-watched the first two seasons of Barry on HBO and loved it all over again. I need a good, long show to binge, though.
What are your favorite movies?
I grew up watching older comedies, so Blazing Saddles, Airplane!, The Princess Bride and The Blues Brothers are all-time favorites. More recently, I loved Knives Out and Palm Springs.
What is your favorite color?
Gray — every car I’ve had has been gray and I’ve fallen in love with it as a color. It’s extremely malleable and versatile.
Any favorite bands or songs?
Yes! I tend to bounce around a lot musically, but H.E.R., Ella Mai, Daniel Caesar and Anderson .Paak have been in constant rotation for a while for me. I also have been going through the late Wilson Pickett’s catalog. For a specific song, DOLLAR by Becky G and Myke Towers has been stuck in my head since I first heard it. It’s so catchy and upbeat.
How can people reach you?
