Vikings hire 18-year-old Jonah Stillman as 'Gen Z Adviser'

The Minnesota Vikings have retained 18-year-old author and public speaker Jonah Stillman to serve as “Gen Z Adviser” to the team. According to the Vikings, Stillman will consult with the organization “through the lens of the Gen Z population” on a variety of business initiatives, including team marketing, fan engagement, digital media content, workplace culture and U.S. Bank Stadium fan experience.

“Jonah has approached his career as a Gen Z adviser, author and speaker with professionalism and passion, and as a lifelong Vikings fan that lives in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market, he has a rare perspective that we believe can positively impact our organization and our younger fan base,” Vikings Chief Operating Officer Kevin Warren said in a statement. “We look forward to collaborating with Jonah on his unique insights and thoughtful research.”

Stillman graduated from Minnetonka High School in June 2017. With his father, David, he co-authored “Gen Z @ Work: How the Next Generation is Transforming the Workplace.” The father-son duo now travels the country helping organizations understand the latest generation to enter the workplace and marketplace.

“It is a testament to the Vikings to think creatively and explore differing viewpoints, including those of recent high school graduates who want to make a positive impact in the professional world,” Stillman said in a statement. “I look forward to interacting with all departments to fully understand the Vikings organization and to offer ideas geared toward Generation Z.” 

Jonah Stillman was named as one of the top five Gen Z entrepreneurs to watch by Forbes magazine. He is also consulting with the NFL in New York City throughout the 2017 season.

WHAT IS GEN Z? Born between 1995 and 2012, Generation Z is considered to be independent and competitive workers who want to write their own job description and work for organizations with similar social values. They also have an incredible understanding of and passion for digital media.