Marketing Leader and Champion for Equality
From Childhood Entrepreneur to B2B Marketing Leader and Equality Pioneer – My Journey Focused on Transforming Businesses and Communities
As the Founder of KEO Marketing and Senior Vice President of Marketing at E&I Cooperative Services, I have spent more than three decades transforming how companies connect with their customers while simultaneously championing equality and inclusion across Arizona and beyond.
Early Entrepreneurial Spirit
Inheriting my father’s entrepreneurial passion, my journey into the world of business commenced at a tender age. My first business was a bike shop in my parents’ garage when I was 10 years old. This early foundation in entrepreneurship, along with mentoring from my father, who owned the largest General Contractor in Wyoming, proved to be the catalyst for a remarkable career that has spanned multiple industries and touched countless lives.
My academic journey led me to earn an MA in Higher Education Administration from Bowling Green State University. I held positions at three universities, and this background in higher education has proven valuable in my current role at E&I.
Building a Strategic Marketing Agency
After helping to create and lead the world’s largest youth marketing agency in the 1990s, I founded KEO Marketing in 2000. Over the past 25 years, I have built KEO Marketing into a trusted strategic partner for companies looking to scale. Our team has built KEO Marketing to be an extension of our clients’ executive and marketing operations teams. This gives these companies senior-level talent at a fraction of the cost, as well as a flexible and robust marketing operation driven to scale results.
The agency’s success is reflected in our impressive client retention rates and numerous awards. We have helped hundreds of enterprises increase revenues by hundreds of millions of dollars.
I was named one of the “Top 10 Business Leaders of the Year” and “Top 25 Dynamic Women in Business” by the Phoenix Business Journal. Additionally, in 2021 I was named a Global Top 100 Marketing Leader.
A Champion for Equality
Beyond my business achievements, I have dedicated a significant amount of time and energy to advancing LGBTQ+ rights and equality. My advocacy work has been particularly impactful in Arizona, where I have worked tirelessly to create a more inclusive environment for all.
As a member of the Human Rights Campaign’s Board of Directors and a Tempe resident, I was named one of the top 15 Arizonans to watch by The Arizona Republic. The paper’s editorial board named me a “Fearless LGBT Advocate,” and I am determined to change the path for LGBT equality in the Grand Canyon state – and in many ways, I have won, and in some, I have lost.
My advocacy efforts have been both personal and professional. In 2013 and 2014, I co-chaired the Why Marriage Matters Arizona education campaign and, with my former wife, Sue, was one of the first same-sex couples to be lawfully married in Arizona.
Here is a 13-minute overview of my life working for equality, shared in 2020.

The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ advocacy organization in the world, renamed its Arizona Individual Equality Award in my honor and awarded me its Legacy Award. From then on, the award has been called “The Sheila Kloefkorn Individual Equality Award.”
Earlier this Pride month, in an interview with the Arizona Republic’s Gaggle Podcast, I reflected on the 11 years since Marriage Equality came to Arizona and 10 years to the US.

Key Success Principles
At the core of my achievements are four pivotal success habits that I rely on:
- Curiosity: I maintain an enduring fascination with understanding the intricacies of how things work, consistently posing thought-provoking questions to uncover deeper insights.
- Continuous Improvement: I relentlessly pursue avenues for enhancing results, driven by a data-driven approach that allows me to identify areas for growth and optimization.
- Rhythms of Work: I have established regular routines for preparation, collaboration, meetings, review, and thinking time, reinforcing desired outcomes and fostering a productive work environment.
Looking Forward
As I continue to balance my leadership roles at both KEO Marketing and at E&I Cooperative Services, I bring the same passion for excellence and commitment to making a difference that has defined my entire career. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of the E&I team that is blazing a meaningful and impactful path for cooperatives and educational institutions.
I am incredibly grateful to serve at SVP of Marketing at E&I Cooperative Services. Feel free to reach out to learn more about my background in marketing, business, and the fight for LGBTQ equality.