# Richard Jurek > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Richard_Jurek > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Richard_Jurek.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Jurek > Source revision: 1285712039 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American author, numismatist and business executive Richard Jurek Occupation Business executive Known for Space historian, author and collector; marketing executive Notable work Marketing the Moon: The Selling of the Apollo Lunar Program (MIT Press 2014) and "The Ultimate Engineer: The Remarkable Life of NASA's Visionary Leader George M. Low" (UNP 2019) **Richard Jurek** is an American author, [numismatist](/source/Numismatist), and business executive. He is the author of the book *The Ultimate Engineer: The Remarkable Life of NASA's Visionary Leader [George M. Low](/source/George_Low)* and co-authored the book *Marketing the Moon: The Selling of the Apollo Lunar Program*. ## Space artifact collector Jurek became a aerospace enthusiast and collector of space [memorabilia](/source/Memorabilia) in the 1970s. He first collected autographed space items among other collectables, eventually focusing mainly on astronaut flown personal mementos and artifacts. His collection includes a large selection of space flown numismatic items, including an assemblage of [$2 bills](/source/United_States_two-dollar_bill) signed by astronauts that were carried while in orbit or during lunar landings during the golden age of space exploration. His unique collection of $2 bills carried by astronauts appear in the online Jefferson Space Museum.[1] He has also exhibited pieces from his collection at the [Kansas Cosmosphere](/source/Kansas_Cosmosphere)[2] and the [Southern Illinois University](/source/Southern_Illinois_University) Museum[3] His collection has also been covered on [PBS](/source/PBS)[4] and WGN TV's "Backstory with Larry Potash" program.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Space historian Jurek is the co-author of the 2014 book *Marketing the Moon: The Selling of the Apollo Lunar Program*, which he cowrote with [David Meerman Scott](/source/David_Meerman_Scott). The book focuses on the use of marketing techniques and marketing agreements between [NASA](/source/NASA) and private industry to promote the importance of the [Apollo missions](/source/Apollo_missions) to the US public.[5] He has provided public lectures on the subject as well.[6] The book contains around three hundred images of original ads and marketing materials, cut down from an initial collection of about three thousand.[7] Jurek argues that what occurred during the marketing of the Apollo missions set the precedent of the modern interaction between the public and mass media.[8] For his book he also appeared on the [Science Channel](/source/Science_Channel)'s television series *[NASA's Unexplained Files](/source/NASA's_Unexplained_Files)*, as well as the documentary *The Two Dollar Bill*.[9] He is also a contributor to Air & Space Smithsonian.[10] He also served as a consulting producer on the 2019 critically acclaimed PBS/American Experience documentary, Chasing the Moon.[11] In 2019 Jurek released the book *The Ultimate Engineer: The Remarkable Life of NASA's Visionary Leader [George M. Low](/source/George_Low)*. *Publishers Weekly* said of the book that, "The result of Jurek's extensive research and careful use of detail is a comprehensive portrait of a figure vastly greater in significance than in name recognition."[12] The Library Journal's review declared the book "scholarly, yet accessible and engaging," and "is as much a history of [NASA](/source/NASA) as a biography of George Low, and as such is an important contribution to the history of the agency."[13] ## Business career Jurek is the Chief Marketing and Communication Officer of The Inland Group.[2][14] Previously, he was a vice president and head of corporate communications at The [Northern Trust Company](/source/Northern_Trust) in Chicago.[15] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Richard Jurek's space-flown $2 bills - the story of the Jefferson Spac"](https://www.paulfrasercollectibles.com/blogs/unique-items/richard-jureks-space-flown-2-bills-the-story-of-the-jefferson-space-museum). *Paul Fraser Collectibles*. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-chicagobusiness.com_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-chicagobusiness.com_2-1) ["To the moon and back"](https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130907/ISSUE03/309079992/chicagoan-amasses-huge-collection-of-space-memorabilia). *Crain's Chicago Business*. 6 September 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["University Museum (IL): "To the Moon and Back" - collectSPACE: Messages"](http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum41/HTML/000665.html). *www.collectspace.com*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Richard Jurek - WSIU InFocus"](https://www.pbs.org/video/wsiu-infocus-richard-jurek/) – via www.pbs.org. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Marketing the Moon"](https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/thelist/5441230). *Radio National*. 9 May 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Lawton, Mark. ["Lovell joins discussion on marketing NASA's Apollo program"](https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-forest/news/ct-lfr-moon-tl-0512-20160510-story.html). *chicagotribune.com*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Marketing the Moon: How Space Collectors Retold the Story of Apollo's Success"](https://news.yahoo.com/marketing-moon-space-collectors-retold-story-apollos-success-173105865.html). *news.yahoo.com*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Selling the Space Race: An Interview With 'Marketing the Moon' Co-Author Richard Jurek"](https://www.americaspace.com/2014/10/02/selling-the-space-race-an-interview-with-marketing-the-moon-co-author-richard-jurek/). *AmericaSpace*. 2 October 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Blog"](http://www.jeffersonspacemuseum.com/jefferson-in-space/). *The Jefferson Space Museum*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Jurek, Richard. ["Duke Ellington's Ode to the First Moon Landing"](https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/duke-ellingtons-ode-first-moon-landing-180954208/). *Air & Space Magazine*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Chasing the Moon - Cast and Credit Page"](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/chasing-moon/#cast_and_crew). *PBS/American Experience*. 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Review: The Ultimate Engineer: The Remarkable Life of NASA's Visionary Leader George M. Low"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8032-9955-9). Publishers Weekly. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Richard, Jurek. ["The Ultimate Engineer: The Remarkable Life of NASA's Visionary Leader George M. Low"](https://www.libraryjournal.com/?reviewDetail=the-ultimate-engineer-the-remarkable-life-of-nasas-visionary-leader-george-m-low). *Library Journal*. Retrieved 2019-12-12. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Mikus, Kim (11 May 2016). ["Oak Brook executive never lost his passion for Apollo program"](https://dhbusinessledger.com/article/20160511/business/160519966/). *Daily Herald Business Ledger*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Illinois State Board hires managers, custodian"](https://www.pionline.com/article/20040924/ONLINE/409240716/illinois-state-board-hires-managers-custodian). *Pensions & Investments*. 2006-12-15. Retrieved 2025-04-15. Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF National Czech Republic Israel Other IdRef Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Richard Jurek](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Jurek) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Jurek?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.