Rick Shefchik was born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1974 and worked at the Duluth News-Tribune for three years. He then spent 26 years at the St. Paul Pioneer Press as a media critic, feature writer/columnist, enterprise reporter and sportswriter.
He lives in Stillwater, Minnesota, with his wife, Barbara. He's a lifelong golfer and played guitar with several bands.