Scot Crocker, 1958-2025

Photography by Tia Gemmel

Scot Crocker, who died in February at 66, called himself a communications strategist and branding expert. Those labels were true, but they don’t explain the passions that drove his strategic and branding success.

Crocker loved Sacramento. Every project, every campaign, every initiative, sprang from his attachment to his hometown. Jobs that had no obvious connection to the city were infused with joy he felt walking through Midtown, Old Sac or Land Park.

He brought the spirit of Sacramento—the pace, sensibilities and optimism imperceptible to outsiders—to his work, from corporate pitches and storyboards to rollouts. To separate Scot Crocker from Sacramento is unthinkable.

His legacy endures in the Walk of Stars, testimonials embedded in sidewalks around the Handle District. Other cities have walks of fame, but nobody thought Sacramento needed one until Crocker got involved and started strategizing. He saw the opportunities.

LeVar Burton described the significance of the blue, gold and black plaques when he received his star in 2017. Burton channeled Crocker’s strategy. The actor said, “I have always claimed Sacramento as my hometown, and today I genuinely feel that Sacramento has, in turn, claimed me.”

During a four-decade advertising career, Crocker directed three public relations companies and helped hundreds of clients. He contributed columns to Inside and published a novel, “Gabriel’s Breeze.”
His greatest achievement was intangible. He showed Sacramento how to claim itself.

—R.E. Graswich

I played in a mixed doubles tennis group with Scot Crocker for 20 years. Seeing someone every week while having fun is a great way to experience friendship. It’s difficult to hide who you are on the tennis court.

Slowly and surely, I learned about Scot’s gregarious nature, incredible life and wonderous achievements.

Before our tennis partnership, Scot was a leader in Boy Scout Troop 1, where both our sons became Eagle Scouts. Scot achieved the Eagle Scout rank as a teen.

Scot was running his public relations agency then, and his team placed ads in Inside for a local retailer. One day, the ads arrived with text too small to read. When we pointed out the problem, the agency said run the ads anyway. That’s what the client wanted.

Almost a year later, my husband Jim told me Scot’s agency had a significant unpaid ad invoice. Jim was reluctant to collect because Scot was a legend in Troop 1. (Jim was the most sensitive of bill collectors!)
I met Scot for coffee—our first in-person meeting. He was gracious and apologetic. He explained he recently sold his company and had no idea the bills were unpaid. He pulled out his personal checkbook and paid the invoice.

Most money disputes don’t resolve that easily. Over coffee, Scot’s integrity and character were sealed.

A few years later, we started playing tennis. When Scot founded Walk of Stars, I signed up to sponsor and promote this lovely civic project. In turn, Scot supported me when I came up with the idea for a book on Sacramento’s most interesting places. He wrote the forward when we published in 2016.

Scot was a philanthropist. His generosity came through in little things, such as auctioning a fabulous dinner at his home. He planned and created the meal, served as talented cook and lively entertainer.

Scot Crocker was 100% the real deal. We miss him dearly.

Scot is survived by his children Colin and Lauren, and his loving partner Carolyn Coleman. 
—Cecily Hastings