Home has a way of calling you back.
I grew up in this community. I walked the halls of Norman schools, cheered on the Sooners, and built the kind of roots that no amount of years away can fully sever. So when the opportunity came to purchase Cleveland County City Lifestyle, it wasn't a business decision so much as it was an answer to that call. Lesa and I came home — for good — and this magazine is how we plan to invest in the place that made us.
Let me introduce myself. I'm Jeff Weber, and for the past four decades I've had a front-row seat to some of the most transformative moments in media and technology. I joined SBC — which later became AT&T — straight out of the University of Oklahoma in 1986 and spent nearly 25 years there, ultimately rising to President of Content and Advertising. During that time, I was one of the architects of U-verse, helping to build it from a blank sheet of paper into one of the country's largest TV platforms, with more than five million subscribers and a revenue run rate exceeding $12 billion annually. It was a remarkable ride, and it taught me everything about what great content, great brands, and connected communities can become.
After AT&T, I took the helm at Zone·tv, a pioneering streaming company that used artificial intelligence and human curation to deliver a genuinely personalized television experience to millions of households through the world's top pay TV operators. From there, I co-founded The Dubs Group with my daughter, Allie. We were very early in the world of NIL, and that led to the opportunity that brought me back to my Sooner roots in a different way: as CEO of 1Oklahoma, the University of Oklahoma's official NIL initiative — the first university-backed collective of its kind in the country. We set a new standard for how student-athletes and fans could be connected through real value, not just donations.
Through it all, I had the same partner by my side that I'll have this July — for 40 years. My wife Lesa is not just the person I share my life with; she is my partner in this business. Cleveland County City Lifestyle is a family endeavor in every sense of the word, and that matters to us deeply.
Now, about this magazine. I want to be honest with you: it has drifted. A publication this good, serving a community this vibrant, deserves better — and we intend to deliver it. My vision is straightforward: a local, luxury magazine that lifts this community, connects readers with exceptional brands, and tells the stories of the remarkable people who live and work right here among us.
We've already begun. This month, you'll notice the debut of City List, our new best-of section featuring categories that reflect what's best about life in Cleveland County. Each month, two to five categories will shine a light on the businesses and professionals our community trusts most. This issue, in the spirit of our Kids and Pets theme, we're featuring top Pediatricians, Veterinarians, Sweet Treats, Orthodontists, and Doggy Day Care providers. We've also launched Born and Bred, a profile series dedicated to the people who are from here, built something here, and chose to stay — or come back. (You may have already met our first subject, Mike Burr.)
There is more to come. Much more.
I spent decades building world-class products for national and global audiences. This time, I'm building something for my neighbors. For this community. For home.
Welcome to the next chapter of Cleveland County City Lifestyle. I'm glad to be here.
Jeff Weber
Publisher, Cleveland County City Lifestyle