Georgia Entertainment, the leading source of news and information for the film, broadcast, music, esports, arts, gaming and other areas of digital entertainment, has released the names of the 200 Most Influential of Georgia’s Creative Industries. The individuals are highlighted in the second edition of the bi-annual printed publication – Georgia Entertainment: The Creative Economy Journal.
See the digital version.
“We felt the time had come to recognize the leading players in Georgia’s dynamic entertainment economy,” said Randy Davidson, Founder and CEO of Georgia Entertainment and Co-Publisher. “These professionals, spanning all areas of Georgia’s creative industries, are collectively responsible for the state’s leading position as the creative, cultural and entertainment capital of the world.”
This selection stems from a meticulous process involving nominations, extensive research, references, and insightful interviews with key figures. Those named will be featured in this edition of the Creative Economy Journal and on Georgia Entertainment’s website in the coming weeks.
“Compiling this list from across the creative industries was an extraordinary opportunity to uncover new connections among the featured individuals,” said Jezlan Moyet, President of Georgia Entertainment and Co-Publisher. “We have already facilitated introductions between some of those profiled. The synergy within Georgia’s creative economy is undeniable.”
In addition, the publication acknowledges and highlights Legends, Advocates, and State Officials that significantly influence economic activity in the creative sector of Georgia’s economy.
“Clearly Georgia’s status and progress would not be possible without the trailblazers from years before, those working today inside the Georgia Department of Economic Development and those actively lobbying and advocating for entertainment,” Moyet continued.
The 132 page publication is targeted to creatives, entertainment executives, local government and tourism officials, elected legislators and others influencing economic activity in Georgia. The circulation for this edition is 4,158 with additional copies being distributed at Georgia Entertainment’s events and activations around the world.
See the digital version. To request the media deck for the December issue, please contact us.
NOTE: Many of these are highlighted in the Journal and others will be featured further on our website and social outlets in the coming weeks. We decided to highlight separately a group of legends, advocacy/lobbyists, and those working in key roles at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. See all in the printed or digital version of the publication.
Suzanne Abair, CEO, Atlanta Dream
Mike Akins, Business Agent, IATSE Local 479
Roger Alexander, Owner, Super Sprinters Atlanta & Atlanta Camera Rental, Executive Producer, Director
Lisa Anders, Executive Director, Explore Gwinnett Tourism+ Film
Justin Andrews, President, Macon Film Festival
Tara Ansley, Co-Owner, Fangoria & Starlog; CEO, Wanderwell Entertainment
Patrick Avard, Founder & CEO, Level 77 Music
Autumn Bailey-Ford, Founder, Autumn Bailey Entertainment
Chiquita Woolfolk Banks, Esq., Owner/CEO, Bankable Consulting
David Barbe, Director and Senior Lecturer, Music Business
Terrance Battle, Principal, Radix Innovation Capital
Erin Baxter, Associate Director, Recording Academy- Atlanta Chapter
Tara Feldstein Bennett & Chase Paris, Co-Owners/Casting Directors, FeldsteinlParis Casting”
Jim Berney, Founder/CEO, Storage Room Animation
Kathleen Bertrand, Executive Producer, Bronzelens Film Festival
Emily Best, Founder/CEO, Seed & Spark
Damarius Bilbo, Senior Agent, KLUTCH Sports Group
Daniel Blackman, Founder, Renaissance94
Tyler Blackwell, Co-Founder/CEO, RDH Partners
Kenny Blank, Executive Director, Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
Jon Bonus, Studio Producer, District Live Studio – Savannah
Peter Bowden, President and CEO, VisitColumbusGA
Charles Bowen, Partner, Bowen Schmidt Entertainment Attorneys
Jennifer Bowen, VP/Destination Development & Community Engagement, Film Augusta
Eddie Bradford, Partner, Frazier Deeter
Randie Brooks, Senior VP/Relationship Manager, City National Bank
Brandon Butler, Partner & Chief Culture & Innovation Officer, Majority; CEO, Butter.ATL
Aaron Buzza, Senior VP/COO, Visit Macon
Ja & Shalina Byerly, Owners, Wavelength Lighting
Ethan Byrd, Commissioner, Georgia Esports League
Mike Byrd, Director of Sales, Yancey Rents – Entertainment Division
Michele Rhea Caplinger, Senior Executive Director, The Recording Academy
Shaunya Chavis-Rucker, Divisional Head, Fulton Films Office, Fulton County Government
Nick Chawala, Owner/Head of Operations, Bravo Ocean Studios
Cody Chesneau, Owner/CEO, Film Quality Services
Peter Chesney, Special Effects, Second Unit Director/Assistant Director
Stewart Chisam, CEO. Hi-Rez Studios & CEO, RallyHere
Michael Clark, GM/Studio Operations, Eagle Rock Studios Atlanta
Alan Clarke, Attorney, Greenspoon Marder LLP
Tena Clarke, CEO, DMI Music & Media Solutions
Dave Cobb, 9x Grammy Award Winning Record Producer
Chip Cofer, President/CEO, Cofer Brothers
Darryl Cohen, Partner, Cohen, Cooper, Estep & Allen
Steve Cohen, Partner/Agent & Head of UTA Atlanta
Dan Corso, President, Atlanta Sports Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber
Julie Ann Crommett, Founder/CEO, Collective Moxie
Mark Crump, Operations Manager, Sports and Entertainment, Brasfield & Gorrie
Walker Dalton, Executive Director, Savannah Regional Film Commission
Chad Darnell, Actor/Screenwriter/Director/Producer/Casting Director
Matt Davis, Founder/CEO & President, Reel Supplies
Danielle Deadwyler, Acclaimed Actress
Robin Delmar, Partner/Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Monarch Private Capital
Brennen Dicker, Executive Director, Georgia State University – Creative Media Industries Institute {CMII)
Deborah Riley Draper, 3x NAACP Image Awards Nominee, Filmmaker, Author
Tyler Edgarton, Investor, Raulet Property Partners
Steven Eisenstein, President, Classic Tents & Events (CERP)
Chris Escobar, Executive Director, Atlanta Film Society
Rick Estimond, President, People Store
Ray Ezelle, Executive Director, Discover Dunwoody
Jim Farmer, Festival Director, Out on Film
Michael Feifer, President, Feifer Worldwide, Inc./ Third Child Entertainment & Writer/
Director/Producer)
Lisa Ferrell, Professor of Practice, Creative Media Industries Institute at Georgia State University
Mark, Lisa, Mae & Craig Fincannon, Casting Team, Fincannon & Associates
Tiffany Fitzhenry, Producer, FitzHenry Films
Bill Foley, Founder & President, Foley Design
Julian A. Fortuna, Partner, Greenspoon Marder LLP
Kim Franz, Director of Programs and Events, Cobb Tourism and Travel
Lucy Lawler-Freas, Director of Programming, Fox Theatre Atlanta
Billy Gabor, President, Company3
Larry Gildersleve, CEO, Brightwell Investments
Eric Goins, SAG-AFTRA Atlanta Local President
Roberto Gomez Jr., SVP/Chief Creative Officer, StudioSP I Standard Press
John Grace, Production Training Instructor/ Industrial Services, Savannah Technical College
Ryan Gravel, Founder, Sixpitch & Creator of the Atlanta Beltline
Brian Grayson, Head of Game Development, Ghost Gaming
Andrew Greenberg, Executive Director, Georgia Game Developers Association
Maria Guerra-Stoll, President & CEO, GSB Architects & Interiors Inc. & CEO and Founder, PAM Studios LLC
Pace Halter, President and COO, W.C. Bradley Real Estate, Flat Rock Studios
Jim & Joe Hanna, Co-Owners, Hannah Brothers
Jonathan Harb, CEO/Executive Producer, The Whiskytree Southern Corp., Whiskytree Inc.
Josh Harris, Founder & Managing Partner, Peachtree Media Partners
Todd Harris, Founder & CEO, Skills hot Media: Co-owner, Ghost Gaming
Hilton H. Howell Jr., Chairman/CEO, Gray Television
Cardellia Hunter, Director, Film and Entertainment, City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office
Tammy Hurt, Managing Partner, Placement Music LLC
Seth Ingram, Executive Director, Rome International Film Festival & Humanities Division Chair of Film Studies, Georgia Highlands College
Moraima “Mo” Ivory, Professor and Director of the Entertainment. Sports & Media Law Initiative at Georgia State University College of Law
Shelbia Jackson, Director, DeKalb Entertainment Commission
Ben James, Senior VP, Sports & Entertainment, First Horizon
Jess Johnanesen, Tax Director. Aprio
Billy Johnson, COO, Crossover Entertainment
Ryan Johnson, Founder & CEO, Cxmmunity Media
Jermaine Johnson, Manager/Producer, 3 Arts Entertainment & Academy Award Winner
Debra Johnston, Global Luxury Specialist, Coldwell Banker Realty I Atlanta
Bern Joiner, Co-founder/Culture Curator, Atlanta Influences Everything
Alexander Kane, Actor, Producer, Founding Partner of Workhouse Cinema
Alex, Stephen & Shannon Kendrick, Production Team, Kendrick Brothers Productions
Steve Koonin, CEO, Atlanta Hawks/State Farm Arena
Honnie Korngold, Co-Founder/Producer, South Georgia Studios
Garth Lagerwey, President & CEO, Atlanta United
Marty Lang, Director of MFA in Film, Television & Digital Media, The University of Georgia
Bernie Lawrence-Watkins, Founder and CEO at B. Lawrence Watkins & Associates, PC
Chris LeDoux, Co-Founder of Crafty Apes & Founder of Luma Logic
Stratton Leopold, Acclaimed Film Producer & Production Manager
Samuel Levine, Producer, Tetrad Studios
Payne Lindsey, Founder/Director, Tenderfoot TV
Erica Lumper!, CEO, Security Associates of Coastal Georgia
Tom Luse, Emmy Award Winning Producer, Five Points Film
Caroline Maddox, Vice President of Advancement, South Arts
David Manuel, Director of Arts & Culture, Fulton County Government
Misti Martin, President/CEO, Cherokee Office of Economic Development
Dina Marto, Music Executive, United Talent Agency
Sid & Ann Mashburn, Co-Owners, Sid Mashburn
Brian McGowan, President, Centennial Yards
Rich McKay, CEO, AMB Sports+ Entertainment & CEO, Atlanta Falcons
Steve Mensch, President/General Manager of Studio Operations, Tyler Perry Studios
Greg Mike, Founder/Creative Director, ABV Agency
Craig Miller, Owner/Executive Producer, Craig Miller Productions
Tim Minard, CEO, Eclipse Gaming Systems
Daniel Minchew, Owner, Studio Space Atlanta & Atlanta Filmworks Studio; President, B.I.G. Entertainment Alliance
Erika Miranda, Founder/ Executive Producer, Cafecito
John Mock, CEO, Story Mill Entertainment
Emory Morsberger, Executive Director, Gateway85 CID
Chris Moses, Associate Artistic Directors, Alliance Theatre
Gannon Murphy, GM, Cinelease Studios
Tosca Musk, Founder/CEO, Passionfllx Inc.
Mark Neil, Independent Producer, Soil of the South
Beth Nelson, AFCI Certified Film Commissioner, Savannah Field Steward IATSE Local 491
Michael Newport, Executive VP/CMO, The MBS Group
Christina O’Shea-Daly, VP/Executive Producer, Great Point Studios
Glen Owen, Founder/Director, State Line Films
Stephanie Owens, Executive Director, National Black Arts Festival
Will Packer, Founder & CEO, Will Packer Productions
Chase Paris, Casting Director, FeldsteinlParis Casting
Cathy Parker, Author/Co-Founder & President, PhilanthroFilms Inc.
Rob Parker, President, Trilith Development LLC
Mark Parkman, COO/Co-Managing Partner, BlueStar Studios
Ben Patel, Owner & CEO, Bl Production Works
Frank Patterson, President/CEO, Trilith Studios
Chris Peay, Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer, Cxmmunity Media
Keith Perissi, Director, Senior Lecturer, Joel A. Katz Music & Entertainment Business Program, Kennesaw State University
Nancy Prager, Attorney, Prager Law LLC
Peter Provost, Emmy-nominated Director of Design & President, Provost Studio
Paige Pushkin, Executive Director, Georgia Foundation for Public Education
Jay Rabbit, President/CEO, In Concert Productions (ICP)
Andrew Ratcliffe, Founder/CEO, Tweed Recording
Mike Reams, Director of Studio Operations, Gwinnett/OFS Campus
Chris Rickwood, Composer & Director at Team Audio
Chandler Rierson, Managing Director, Bay Point Media
Elise Riley, Founder & CEO, My Global Presence
Dani Risch-Bailey, Director of Entertainment – Film/TV Productions, Protravel International
Bobby Rosenbloum, Chairman, Global Entertainment & Media Practice, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Adam Rosenfelt, Co-owner, Atomic Entertainment
Dan Rosenfelt, Co-Founder, Electric Owl Studios
Ric Ross, Founder & CEO, Music Education Group
Drew Sawyer, Founder, Moonshine Post Production
Derek Schiller, CEO, Atlanta Braves
Bruce B. Siegal, Attorney, Greenspoon Marder LLP
Mala Sharma, Strategic Business Consultant, Georgia Music Partners
Tim & Pamela Shaw, Owners, Stonecrest Studio
Anthony Short, Producer & Line Producer, Boa Sorte Productions
Melissa Simpson, Executive Director, Film Impact Georgia
Jan “Mama” Smith, Grammy-Nominated Music Producer & Founder, Jan Smith Studios
Dedren Snead, CEO, Subsume
Chelsea Spivey, Senior Director, New Business Development & Production Incentives, Revolution Entertainment Services
Peter Stathopoulos, Partner, State Tax and Entertainment Incentives Practice. Bennett Thrasher LLP (Of Counsel, Greenspoon Marder LLP)
Jeff Stepakoff, President, Trilith Institute & Chief Executive Officer, Content Talent South
Gary Stokan, President & CEO, Peach Bowl
Billy Stoll, Head of Operations/Client Services, Cinespace Studios Atlanta
Jim Stone, CEO, Tytan Pictures
Julie Straw, Executive Director, RE:IMAGINE
Chris Stuckey, Co-Chair, MomoCon
Randall Suffolk, Director, High Museum of Art
David Sutherland, Senior Lecturer, University of Georgia – Terry College of Business
Beth Talbert, VP, Studio Operations, NBCUniversal
Chuck Taylor, Managing Director/Real Estate Investments, Domain Capital Advisors
Scott Thigpen, COO & Executive Producer, Crazy Legs Productions
Kristy Clabaugh & John Thomas, Partners, Element Accountants & Consultants
Eric Tomosunas, Producer/Founder/CEO, Swirl Films
Marisa (Ginger) Tontaveetong, Operations Director, ASIFA-South
Charli Traylor, Senior VP/Advisory & Accounting Services, Three Point Capital (TPC)
James Tsismanakis, CEO, Discover Dekalb
Kevin W. Tucker, Chief Curator, High Museum of Art
Michael Uribe, Vice President, Athena Studios
Niki Knox Vanderslice, President & CEO, Fayette County Development Authority
Velena Vego, VP of Third Party Programming, Live Nation Entertainment
Andy Velcoff, Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
JB Vick, Founder & CEO, MVP Studios
C Scott Votaw, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Georgia Film Academy, University System of Georgia/ Board of Regents
Grant Wainscott, Vice President of Ecosystem Expansion. Metro Atlanta Chamber
Ty Walker, SVP & Head of Physical Production, Hartbeat
Paula Wallace, Founder & President, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
Drew Waters, Founder, Argentum Entertainment
Robyn Watson, President, Women in Film and Television Atlanta (WIFTA)
Steve Weizenecker, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Alexander White, Founder, Alexander White Agency (AWA)
Paula Whittle, Founder/Director, Atlanta Fashion Week
Michael Len Williams II, Producer, Mike Will Made It
Matthew Wilson, Partner, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
Mark Wofford, President/CEO, Production Consultants & Equipment (PC&E)
Allie Young, CMO, the’gamehers
See the digital version. To request the media deck for the December issue, please contact us.
