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Hockey bridges decades between Concordians

Alum Larry Resnitzky and student James Stephan-Usypchuk don’t let their age difference get in the way of running a successful social media campaign
July 14, 2015
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By Guenevere Neufeld

Source: Advancement and Alumni Relations

In many ways Larry Resnitzky, BA 71, and James Stephan-Usypchuk are typical entrepreneurs. They run their own businesses and have connected with each other, fellow Concordians, to create successful partnerships. Yet there is one factor that sets them apart.

Larry Resnitzky Larry Resnitzky, BA 71, has always had an interest in sports. | Photo courtesy Larry Resnitzky

Resnitzky graduated from Sir George Williams University, one of Concordia’s founding institutions, over four decades ago, and is almost three times the age of Stephan-Usypchuk.

Still, when Resnitzky needed a social media expert to manage the promotions of the book Montreal Canadiens: Stanley Cup Champions, he took to Linkedin and found Concordia student Stephan-Usypchuk. The book, by Jocelyne LeBlanc, is one of 13 published by Resnitzky’s business Retromedia Publishing.

Stephan-Usypchuk is a second-year student at Concordia, in the Department of Communication Studies' intermedia stream. He also owns and operates JSU Solutions, a social-media marketing agency that caters to clients around the world.

“My friends look at me and they don’t know how I do it — and quite honestly I don’t know how I do it either,” he says of his two full-time endeavours.

James Stephan-Usypchuk Social Media Marketer and Concordia student James Stephan-Usypchuk, has created an engaged, passionate audience for fans of the Montreal Canadiens. | Photo courtesy James Stephan-Usypchuk

Stephan-Usypchuk is quick to credit the theory and hands-on skills learned at Concordia for helping him succeed at his business. “When we worked with Adobe Illustrator last fall it was the first time I worked with it and now I use it in the ads that I am running with my clients in London,” he says.

Both Resnitzky and Stephan-Usypchuk are pleased with the reach of Montreal Canadiens: Stanley Cup Champions through the impressions on Twitter and its Facebook page, 24 Stanley Cups.

“Certainly I’m along for the ride with James,” says Resnitzky. “It’s not often you would see in the world today a 70-year-old brushing shoulders with a 24-year-old, working together for a common goal.”

Resnitzky’s love of hockey began as a child, delivering newspapers to Bert Olmstead, teammate of Jean Beliveau, LLD 09. Publishing a book on the reign of the Montreal Canadiens was therefore only natural to the former radio host, teacher and author.

“Larry is by far the most interesting person I’ve ever met,” says Stephan-Usypchuk. “To say that I have learned from him would be an understatement.”

The social media campaign Stephan-Usypchuk manages for Resnitzky began in March 2014 and had 1.5 million views on Twitter and Facebook within two months. It has since reached almost 10 million views and has taken on a life of its own with plans for its monetization in place.

“I’m just a gardener at this point. I’m just snipping the branches, making sure it looks pretty and grows on its own,” says Stephan-Usypchuk. “It’s quite amazing. I really can’t get enough of it, which is a good sign that I’m in the right field.”

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