The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) has announced that they will be honoring Ellis Jacob, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cineplex, with the 2022 NATO Marquee Award during this year's CinemaCon. Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon made the announcement today.
"Ellis Jacob is quite simply a marvelous human being. He provided steady and insightful leadership as NATO chairman as the industry descended into the depths of the pandemic, and I continue to rely on his wise counsel. His dedication to his company and this industry is unmatched. That dedication is paired with a kindness and courtesy that is rare and is a hallmark of his career," said NATO president and CEO John Fithian.
Rolando Rodriguez, NATO chairman and Chairman, President and CEO of Marcus Theatres added, "Ellis Jacob, while running his own company, dedicated countless hours to guiding the industry through our deepest crisis. It is impossible to overstate his contribution to NATO and his leadership. As his successor as NATO chairman during the worst of the pandemic, I know firsthand what that leadership meant to the industry and to me. We are stronger because of him."
Cineplex is a powerhouse Canadian Exhibition and Entertainment company. They are Canada's largest exhibitor operating more than 160 movie theatres with 1652 screens and have long been recognized as innovators of the theatrical experience. They also conceived of and operate 13 Entertainment complexes offering food, live entertainment, and gaming for millennials (The Rec Room) and young families (Playdium). It also operates businesses in digital commerce (CineplexStore.com), alternative programming (Cineplex Events), cinema media (Cineplex Media), digital place-based media (Cineplex Digital Media), and amusement solutions (Player One Amusement Group). Cineplex is a joint venture partner in Scene+, Canada's largest entertainment loyalty program.
Jacob's 35 years of leadership in the motion picture exhibition industry has transformed the movie-going experience for Canadians. In addition to serving as Cineplex's President and Chief Executive Officer, Jacob serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Cineplex Inc., Toronto's Baycrest Centre for Geriatrics, the Movie Theatre Association of Canada, ASM Global and Boat Rocker Media. He is a former Chairman of the National Association of Theatre Owners and currently serves on its Executive Board. In addition, he serves as an executive committee member of the Global Cinema Federation (GCF) and a founding director of the Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation.
In 2019 Jacob's received the ICTA Global Cinema Innovation Award, was recognized in 2014 as Waterstone Capital's ‘Most Admired CEO' in the Enterprise Category, and in 2013 was awarded the ‘Most Innovative CEO' from Canadian Business Magazine. Most recently in 2021, Jacob was appointed to the Order of Ontario after previously being appointed to the Order of Canada in 2010, for his contributions to the entertainment and movie exhibition industry along with his voluntary and philanthropic endeavors.
CinemaCon, the official convention of NATO, will be held April 25-28, 2022, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
