Decision Makers
| Name (plus bio) |
Position |
| Robert A. Iger |
President & CEO |
| Anthony Marcoly |
President, Intl Distr Arm |
| George W. Bodenheimer |
President |
| Oren Aviv |
President, Production |
| Steve Wadsworth |
President |
| Walter C. Liss |
President |
| Lawrence Peter Murphy |
Chief Strategic Officer & Executive Vice President |
| Susan O'Day |
Senior VP and CIO |
| Thomas O. Staggs |
CFO & Senior Executive Vice President |
| Wesley Coleman |
Chief HR Officer & Executive Vice President |
| Alan N. Braverman |
General Counsel, Senior Executive Vice President & Secretary |
| Ben Pyne |
Executive Vice President, Disney & ESPN Affiliate Sales & Marketing |
| Christine M. McCarthy |
Executive Vice President, Real Estate & Finance & Treasurer |
| John F. Cooke |
Executive Vice President, Corp Affairs |
| John J. Feenie |
Executive Vice President, China Affairs |
| Kevin Mayer |
Executive Vice President, Corp Strategy, Business Development & Technology |
| Preston Padden |
Executive Vice President, Govt Relations |
| Sean Bratches |
Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing |
| Zenia Mucha |
Executive Vice President, Corp Communications |
| Brent Woodford |
Senior Vice President, Planning & Control |
| Joseph M. Santaniello |
Senior Vice President & Assistant General Counsel |
| Kristin Nolt |
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs |
| Mike Benson |
Senior Vice President, Marketing & Advertising & Promotion |
| Ronald L. Iden |
Senior Vice President, Security Operations, Worldwide |
| Valerie A. Cohen |
Senior Vice President, Corp Alliances |
| William J. Wilkinson |
Senior Vice President, HR |
| Adam Kriger |
Vice President, Strategic Planning |
| Andrew J. Mandell |
Vice President, Operations Planning |
| Anne Ceruti |
Vice President, Enterprise Talent Acquisition |
| Chris Curtain |
Vice President, Corp Synergy |
| Danny Hillis |
Vice President of R&D |
| David Hughes |
Vice President, Tax Planning |
| Gerald L. Swider |
Vice President, Audit Management |
| Gilbert Davila |
Vice President, Multicultural Management |
| John Dreyer |
Vice President, Corp Communications |
| Kristy Frudenfeld |
Vice President, Media |
| Lisa Haines |
Vice President, Strategic Communications |
| Mark Meyers |
Vice President, Internal Studios |
| Matthew Grossman |
Vice President, Corporate Communications, EMEA |
| Michael J. Montgomery |
Vice President & Treasurer |
| Raj Murari |
Vice President, Strategic Development |
| Thomas J. Deegan |
Vice President, Corp Communications |
| Wendy Webb |
Vice President, Investor Relations |
| Bonnie Henderson |
Director, Risk Management, Entertainment & Production Unit |
| Rolf Anderson |
Manager, Corp Cash |
| Leland L. Kirk |
Assistant Secretary |
| Marsha Reed |
Secretary |
Board of Directors
Robert A. Iger is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. Mr. Iger, the sixth CEO in The Walt Disney Company's 83-year history, was appointed to this post on October 1, 2005. Previously, Mr. Iger served as President and Chief Operating Officer of The Walt Disney Company, a position he had held since January, 2000. In this role, he oversaw all aspects of the company's worldwide operations including its filmed entertainment, theme parks and resorts, media networks and consumer products businesses. Mr. Iger also became a member of Disney's board of directors at this time. Mr. Iger began his career at ABC in 1974. Over the last 32 years, Mr. Iger has held a series of increasingly responsible senior management positions at the company, including serving as President and Chief Operating Officer of Capital Cities/ABC, where he guided the complex merger of ABC with The Walt Disney Company. ABC saw tremendous growth during Iger's career there, becoming a market leader in broadcast television and expanding into numerous cable and related ventures. During Mr. Iger's years with ABC, he oversaw its broadcast television network and stations, radio, publishing and cable television businesses, which includes the market leading brands of ABC, ESPN, Lifetime, A&E and The History Channel. He officially joined the Disney senior management team in 1996 as Chairman of the Disney-owned ABC Group and in 1999, was given the additional responsibility of President, Walt Disney International. Mr. Iger is a member of the board of directors for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. He is a trustee of the American Film Institute Board and serves on the Executive Advisory Board of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. He was born in 1951. Mr. Iger has two daughters and two sons. He is married to television journalist and author, Willow Bay.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| ABC News & Sports |
Group President |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
President |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Co-Chairman |
Current |
| ESPN 88 |
President |
Former |
| ESPN, Inc. |
Executive Vice President, Content: John Skipper |
Former |
| B.A.S.S. Times |
CEO |
Former |
| ESPN, Inc. |
President & CEO |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| The Walt Disney Company |
President, Production |
Current |
| Buena Vista Theatrical Group LLC |
President, Marketing |
Former |
Steve Wadsworth is president of the Walt Disney Internet Group and has operational responsibility for The Walt Disney Company's Internet portfolio, which includes the leading Internet brands Disney.com, the number-one Web site for kids and families; ESPN.com, the number-one sports site; and ABC branded sites, leaders in entertainment and news. Wadsworth has seven years of Internet experience - all at The Walt Disney Company. Named president of Disney's Internet unit in 1999, he is well versed in Internet business and technology operations. He has played a critical role in leading the company's successful drive to profitability and growth as he led a restructuring of the business and current expansion into broadband and wireless. Wadsworth joined Disney Online, Disney's first Internet operation, at its inception in September 1995. Prior to being named president of Disney's Internet operations, he served as senior vice president and chief financial officer, responsible for all strategic planning, business development, technology operations, finance, accounting and administrative functions. He came to Disney Online from Disney Consumer Products, where he served as director of business planning. Before joining The Walt Disney Company in 1993, Wadsworth was a principal for the Windsor Park Group in Los Angeles. He was responsible for providing strategic, operational and financial management consulting services to companies primarily in the retail and consumer products industries. Wadsworth is a frequent spokesperson on Internet issues and guest speaker at Internet industry forums. He holds a B.S. in engineering from the University of Virginia and received his M.B.A. from the UCLA Graduate School of Management.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Walt Disney Internet Group |
President |
Current |
| Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
President, Walt Disney Internet Group |
Current |
| Wdig |
President |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
President |
Current |
| Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Wdig |
Chief Financial Officer |
Former |
| Wdig |
Senior Vice President |
Former |
| Disney Online |
|
Former |
| UCLA Anderson School of Management |
M.B.A. |
Former |
| University of Virginia |
B.S. In Engineering |
Former |
Mr. Liss has overseen the expansion of the division beyond traditional broadcast service with ABC owned TV stations now offering additional digital channels that individually focus on high definition programming, extensive weather reporting and continuous news coverage. The NTVS rep firm has also expanded beyond its work on behalf of the ABC owned stations to now also include a client roster of regional sports networks including the YES Network (Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network). In addition, local websites have become a fast developing platform for owned station content. A long-time company executive, Mr. Liss previously had been responsible for Buena Vista Television and its pay television unit (like ABC, also owned by The Walt Disney Company). He also has served as President and General Manager of WABC-TV in New York. After early career experience with John Blair and Company and with Triangle Stations, Mr. Liss in 1971 joined Capital Cities Communications (which years later merged with ABC). He advanced at Capital Cities from Promotion Manager at WPVI-TV in Philadelphia to Program Director at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, NY and Vice President and General Manager at KFSN-TV in Fresno. He subsequently moved to Miami, where he became Vice President/General Manager at WPLG-TV, a Post-Newsweek Television station. Mr. Liss moved into station group management as President of the broadcasting division of Cox Enterprises where he directed the operations of eight television stations, 12 radio stations and a national sales rep firm.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
President, ABC Owned Television Stations |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
President |
Current |
| Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| WABC-TV Inc. |
President |
Former |
| Cox Enterprises, Inc. |
President |
Former |
| WPLG-TV |
Vice President |
Former |
| WABC-TV Inc. |
General Manager |
Former |
| WPLG-TV |
General Manager |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Senior VP and CIO |
Current |
| CSX Corporation |
President, Global Communication Services |
Former |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company |
Chief Information Officer |
Former |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company |
Vice President, Global Shared Services |
Former |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company |
Corporate Staff |
Former |
"Thomas O. Staggs is senior executive vice president and chief financial officer of The Walt Disney Company and is a member of the company's executive management committee.
He oversees the company's worldwide finance organization, corporate strategy and development, brand management, acquisitions, corporate alliances, investor relations, treasury and risk management activities, controller functions, information systems, corporate outreach, real estate and taxes. He also represents Disney on the Supervisory Board of Euro Disney S.C.A., which owns and operates Disneyland Resort Paris.
Staggs joined Disney in 1990 as a manager of strategic planning and soon advanced through a series of positions of increased responsibility, becoming senior vice president of strategic planning and development in 1995. He was appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer in 1998, and assumed his current title in January, 2000.
He played an important role in a wide variety of Disney's strategic and operating initiatives and various Disney strategic joint ventures and corporate transactions, including the acquisitions of Capital Cities/ABC and Pixar. Staggs spearheaded Disney's realignment of its performance goals towards the combination of profit growth and strong long term capital returns and free cash flow. He also led the Company's efforts to drive greater cost and capital efficiency throughout the organization.
Staggs was recently named one of America's best CFOs and the top CFO in the Entertainment Industry by Institutional Investor Magazine.
Born in Illinois, Staggs received a B.S. degree in business from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He worked in investment banking with Morgan Stanley & Co. before joining Disney."
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Walt Disney Internet Group |
General Counsel & Executive Vice President |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
General Counsel, Senior Executive Vice President & Secretary |
Current |
| ABC, Inc. |
General Counsel & Executive Vice President |
Current |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Executive Vice President, Disney & ESPN Affiliate Sales & Marketing |
Current |
"Christine M. McCarthy is the Executive Vice President, Corporate Finance and Real Estate & Treasurer of The Walt Disney Company. She is responsible for the company wide management of a variety of functions including corporate finance, capital markets, financial risk management, pension and investments, risk management, global cash management, and credit and collections, as well as the global real estate organization, including facilities development, operations and portfolio management.
Prior to joining Disney, Ms. McCarthy was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Imperial Bancorp from 1997 to 1999. From 1981 to 1996, she held various finance and planning positions at First Interstate Bancorp. In 1993, she was elected Executive Vice President in Finance.
Ms. McCarthy is a current Board member and former Chairman of the Finance Committee of Phoenix House of California, and is also a Governor of the UCLA Foundation and a member of its Investment Committee. In 2002, she completed terms as the Treasurer and a Director of the Alumnae Association of Smith College, and as a member of the Smith College Investment Committee. She also served as a Board member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association from 1998 to 2001. In 2003 she became a Director of the Advisory Board of FM Global.
Ms. McCarthy completed her Bachelor's Degree in Biology at Smith College, where she received an award for excellence in botany, and later earned an MBA in Marketing and Finance from The Anderson School at UCLA. "
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Executive Vice President, Real Estate & Finance & Treasurer |
Current |
"Kevin Mayer was appointed executive vice president of the new Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Technology Group in June 2005. Mayer leads the smaller, tightly-focused group as it targets emerging businesses new to Disney's existing portfolio, manages cross-divisional issues and opportunities, and evaluates new technology and business models. The group is responsible for aiding in the evaluation and execution of potential acquisition transactions as well.
Mayer rejoined Disney from L.E.K. Consulting LLC, where he was a partner and head of the Global Media and Entertainment practice. In that position his responsibilities included global oversight of all media-related due diligence efforts for mergers and acquisitions, development of business strategies for new technology ventures such as portable music devices, online music services, video on demand and broadband ISP services, and the creation of comprehensive anti-piracy strategies for motion picture studios and trade associations. He also devised plans for companies to offer electronic sell-through for movies, cable television networks, television programming and music.
Prior to L.E.K., Mayer held leading positions at interactive and Internet businesses. As chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Interactive he managed all aspects of new media business, including content, sales, business and technology development, and distribution. While at Clear Channel, Mayer successfully launched local subscription ticketing services. He also served as president and CEO of Playboy.com, Inc. where he established the overall strategy and financial plans for the interactive business.
While at Disney, Mayer worked in both strategic planning and at Walt Disney Internet Group. At the Internet group, he served as executive vice president and as such was responsible for the operations, business plans, creative direction and distribution of Disney's popular Web sites, including ESPN.com and ABCNews.com. Mayer first joined Disney in 1993 as manager, Strategic Planning where he spearheaded strategy and business development for all of Disney's interactive/Internet and television businesses worldwide.
Mayer received his M.B.A. from Harvard University in 1990, and holds a M.S.E.E. from San Diego State University and a B.S.M.E. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology."
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Executive Vice President, Corp Strategy, Business Development & Technology |
Current |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| ESPN, Inc. |
Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing |
Current |
| ESPN, Inc. |
Vice President, Marketing |
Former |
"Zenia Mucha is the executive vice president, Corporate Communications, The Walt Disney Company. In this capacity, Ms. Mucha has overall responsibility for both the communications policies and strategic positioning of The Walt Disney Company and its diverse global business segments, which include Media Networks, Parks and Resorts, Studio Entertainment and Consumer Products. She serves as the chief spokesperson for The Walt Disney Company and oversees media relations and communications strategy. Before assuming her current position, Zenia Mucha was senior vice president, The Walt Disney Company, Corporate Communications, since May 2002.
Previously, Ms. Mucha was senior vice president, Communications, for the ABC Broadcast Group and the ABC Television Network since joining the Company. Serving in that capacity beginning in February, 2001, Ms. Mucha oversaw the development, implementation and oversight of internal and external communications for the ABC Broadcast Group, the ABC Television Network and other ABC divisions. She also supervised various other activities, such as public service campaigns, audience information, internal publications and the ABC Foundation.
Earlier in her career Ms. Mucha served first as director of communications and then as senior policy advisor to Governor George Pataki of New York State, where she earned a national reputation for her expert communications and political skills. She joined Governor Pataki in 1994 and is widely credited with helping the former State Senator achieve the recognition necessary to win the gubernatorial election. Ms. Mucha counseled Governor Pataki on a broad range of public policy and other issues. She also successfully positioned him for his first re-election campaign as Governor.
The New York Times observed: ""Ms. Mucha's official responsibilities were defined as press relations, scheduling and correspondence. But her portfolio has expanded to include virtually every major decision made by the Governor."" Upon her departure from New York State government to join ABC, The New York Times added that Ms. Mucha's absence ""deprives Mr. Pataki of someone who was not only the most influential member of his inner circle, but also his most forceful advocate before the press and with leaders of the State Legislature, as well as other politicians.""
Prior to joining the Pataki administration, Ms. Mucha served as press representative and then communications director to former United States Senator Alfonse D'Amato. Ms. Mucha managed Senator D'Amato's two successful re-election campaigns, in 1986 and 1992."
"Brent A. Woodford was appointed Senior Vice President, Planning and Control for The Walt Disney Company in February 2005. Previously he was Senior Vice President, Corporate Controllership.
Brent is responsible for developing the company's operating profit, cash flow and capital spending plans and its external and internal financial reporting. He oversees Corporate Controllership, Corporate Operations Planning and Analysis, Corporate Travel and Disney Worldwide Shared Services in Orlando. Brent also provides administrative oversight of Management Audit.
Prior to joining Disney in October 2003, Brent was Vice President, Controller of Yum! Brands, Inc., a spin-off from PepsiCo, and the Controller of PepsiCo's international restaurant division, having spent 10 years with the PepsiCo and Yum! organizations. Brent was also an equity securities analyst with A.G. Edwards & Sons and in the audit practice at KPMG in its Dallas and London offices.
Brent is a CPA, a Chartered Financial Analyst and is a member of the AICPA, serving on its Accounting Standards Executive Committee from 2003 â 2005. He was also recently appointed to the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council of the Financial Accounting Foundation. Brent has a B.A. in accounting from Michigan State University and an M.B.A. from St. Louis University. "
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Senior Vice President, Marketing & Advertising & Promotion |
Current |
"Ronald L. Iden was named senior vice president, Security, The Walt Disney Company in July 2004. Mr. Iden focuses on developing and coordinating Disney's security efforts worldwide.
Mr. Iden joined Disney from the California Office of Homeland Security, where he was appointed by and served under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Prior to working for the State, Ron spent 25 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation holding a variety of roles, culminating in his appointment to lead the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office as assistant director.
Among the positions Mr. Iden held while at the FBI were: Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles FBI's investigations of terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, financial crimes and civil rights matters; Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI's Information Resources Division where he was responsible for the FBI's worldwide automation and information management requirements; Chief of the Information Resources Division's strategic planning, budget and personnel operations; and Chief of the FBI's Public Corruption Unit at FBI Headquarters.
Mr. Iden was appointed as a Special Agent with the FBI in May 1978, after serving 10 years as a police officer with the Elk Grove Village, Illinois Police Department.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Administration of Criminal Justice from the University of Illinois and a Master's degree in Public Administration from the Illinois Institute of Technology."
The Long Now Foundation co-chairman of the board of directors. Danny Hillis is Co-Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Applied Minds, Inc., a research and development company creating a range of new products and services in software, entertainment, electronics, biotechnology and mechanical design. The company also provides advanced technology, creative design and consulting services to a variety of clients. Previously, Hillis was Vice President, Research and Development at Walt Disney Imagineering, and a Disney Fellow. He developed new technologies and business strategies for Disney's theme parks, television, motion pictures, and consumer products businesses. He also designed new theme park rides, a full sized walking robot dinosaur and various micro mechanical devices. Danny Hillis is an inventor, scientist, author, and engineer. He pioneered the concept of parallel computers that is now the basis for most supercomputers, as well as the RAID disk array technology used to store large databases. He holds over 50 U.S. patents, covering parallel computers, disk arrays, forgery prevention methods, and various electronic and mechanical devices. Danny Hillis is also the designer of a 10,000-year mechanical clock. Hillis co-founded Thinking Machines Corp., which was the leading innovator in massive parallel supercomputers and RAID disk arrays. In addition to conceiving and designing the company's major products, Hillis worked closely with his customers in applying parallel computers to problems in astrophysics, aircraft design, financial analysis, genetics, computer graphics, medical imaging, image understanding, neurobiology, materials science, cryptography and subatomic physics. At Thinking Machines, he built a technical team comprised of scientists and engineers that were widely acknowledged to have been among the best in the industry. Dr. Hillis has published scientific papers in journals such as Science, Nature, Modern Biology, Communications of the ACM and International Journal of Theoretical Physics and he is an editor of several other scientific journals, including Artificial Life, Complexity, Complex Systems, Future Generation Computer Systems and Applied Mathematics. He has also written extensively on technology and its implications for publications such as Newsweek, Wired, Forbes ASAP and Scientific American. He recently published his second book, The Pattern on the Stone, in which he explains the basic ideas that make computers work. Dr. Hillis has worked as a consultant to many companies developing technology-related business strategies, including AT&T, Xerox, Kodak, Schlumberger, IBM and Hewlett-Packard, as well as smaller companies such as Screaming Media, H5Technologies (formerly Ejemoni), Alexa Internet, and Direct Medical Knowledge. He has served on numerous company boards, and was named as part of Upside Magazine's "Dream Team" board of directors. He is also an advisor to the U.S. government, and has served on the Presidential Information Technology Advisory Committee. Hillis is co-chairman of The Long Now Foundation, a member of the Science Board of the Santa Fe Institute, the SETI Institute's Technical Advisory Committee, the Advisory Board of Yale's Institute for Biospheric Studies, and the board of the Hertz Foundation. Dr. Hillis is the recipient of numerous awards, including the inaugural Dan David Prize for shaping and enriching society and public life, the Spirit of American Creativity Award for his inventions, the Hopper Award for his contributions to computer science and the Ramanujan Award for his work in applied mathematics. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Association of Computing Machinery, and a Fellow in the International Leadership Forum, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering,
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Applied Minds, Inc |
Chief Technology Officer |
Current |
| Relegence Corporation |
Co-Chairman and Cto, Applied Minds, Inc. |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Vice President of R&D |
Current |
| Paladin Capital Group |
|
Current |
| H5 Technologies Incorporated |
|
Current |
| The Long Now Foundation |
Co-Chairman |
Current |
| Relegence Corporation |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Santa Fe Institute |
Science Board Member |
Current |
| Walt Disney Imagineering |
President |
Former |
| Walt Disney Imagineering |
Vice President, Research and Development |
Former |
| International Business Machines Corporation |
consultant developing |
Former |
| Federal Communications Commission |
|
Former |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
PhD in computer |
Former |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
M.S |
Former |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
B.S |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Director, Risk Management, Entertainment & Production Unit |
Current |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. |
Co-Chairman-Disney Media Networks & President-Disney-ABC Television Group |
Current |
| Walt Disney Network Television |
Co-Chairman-Disney Media Networks & President-Disney-ABC Television Group |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Co-Chairman |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
President, Disney, ABC Television Group |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Disneyparks |
Architect |
Current |
| Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts |
Current |
| Disney.Com |
Chairman |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Chairman |
Current |
| Disney World Resort's Minority Business Development |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Infoseek Corporation |
Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts |
Former |
| University of Chicago |
MA In Economics |
Former |
| Columbia University |
Degree In Economics |
Former |
As chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, Richard Cook oversees all aspects of the development, production, distribution and marketing for all live-action and animated films released under the Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Miramax banners worldwide. He is also responsible for Disney's worldwide home entertainment operations under Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, as well as Walt Disney Music Group, Walt Disney Theatrical Productions, Disney-ABC Domestic Television, Disney-ABC International Television, the Studio's legal and business affairs and all areas of new technology.
Under Cook's leadership, the Studio has been one of the leading domestic distributors for 12 of the last 15 years with box office receipts in excess of one billion dollars each. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International passed the one billion dollar mark for 14 consecutive years, the only distribution company to have achieved this milestone. To date, the Studio has released 60 films that have grossed more than $100 million each domestically. No other studio has accomplished this extraordinary feat.
During his tenure, Cook has overseen such box-office successes as the 3-D record breaking "Miley Cyrus & Hannah Montana: Best of Both Worlds Concert," "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," which broke industry wide records with the highest global opening at over $404 million, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," the highest grossing film in Disney history with over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office, "Ratatouille," "Cars," "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe," 'National Treasure," "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," "The Incredibles," "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," "Finding Nemo," "Lilo & Stitch, " "Remember the Titans," "Signs," "Armageddon," "Prince Diaries," "Pearl Harbor," among many others.
With Cook at the helm, the Studio has attracted some of the most powerful as well as diverse producers and directors in the industry including Jerry Bruckheimer, Scott Rudin, Robert Zemeckis, Tim Burton, Tony Scott, Lasse Hallstrom, Wes Anderson, Army Bernstein, Gore Verbinski, Walter Salles and Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy among others.
Cook has enjoyed success in the area of Home Entertainment as well. He spearheaded the highly successful launch of the "Disney DVD" brand, and has consistently broke industry records with DVD and Blu-ray releases.
A 38-year Disney veteran, Cook began his career in 1970 at Disneyland in Anaheim, where he was a ride operator on the park's steam locomotives and monorail. Within a year, he became a representative in the Disneyland sales department and three years later was promoted to department manager. In 1977, Cook moved to The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank to serve as manager of pay television and non-theatrical releases. In this capacity, he was responsible for Disney's first entry into the burgeoning world of cable television, developing what would become The Disney Channel.
Cook entered the motion picture business at Disney in 1980 as assistant domestic sales manager for the Buena Vista Distribution Company. He quickly moved up through the ranks, becoming vice president and general sales manager, then senior vice president of domestic distribution. In 1988, he was promoted to president of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. At that time, he supervised the release of numerous hit films, including "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," "Three Men and a Baby" (the first Disney film to break the $100 million mark), "Good Morning, Vietnam," "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," "Pretty Woman," "Father of the Bride" and "Sister Act." Cook's tenure in distribution also placed him on the front lines of Disney's animation renaissance and the revitalization of the animation genre as a whole, releasing animated blockbusters including "The Little Mermaid," Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "The Lion King" and "Pocahontas."
In 1994, Cook assumed the additional responsibility of film marketing when he was promoted to president of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution and Marketing. In this position, he oversaw the marketing and distribution strategies for hit films such as "The Santa Clause," "Crimson Tide," "Toy Story," "The Rock," and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Two years later, Cook was promoted to chairman of The Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Group, and then assumed his current role in 2002 as chairman of The Walt Disney Studios.
A graduate of the University of Southern California with a degree in political science, Cook has been a USC trustee and has served as president of the USC Alumni Association. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, was president of The Chandler School Board of Trustees and past chairman of the Flintridge Preparatory School Board of Trustees, and sits on the board of governors for the Carolwood Society, and on the board of directors for the Will Rogers Foundation, and the Foundation of Motion Picture Pioneers. In 1976, the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge awarded him with the prestigious George Washington Medal of Freedom. In 2004, Cook was honored with the Motion Picture Showmanship Award by the publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild. Other prestigious past recipients include Jack L. Warner, Joanne Woodward, Paul Newman, Alfred Hitchcock, Lew Wasserman, Steven Spielberg, and Tom Hanks among others. In 2005, Cook was honored with "The Walt Disney Man of the Year Award" by Big Brothers Big Sisters. Most recently, Cook was recognized by Variety â The Children's Charity of Southern California with the 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Chairman |
Current |
| Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Infoseek Corporation |
Chairman |
Former |
| The Walt Disney Studios |
Chairman |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Potbelly Sandwich Works |
President & Chief Executive Officer |
Current |
| Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
Director |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Kmart |
Chief Executive Officer |
Former |
| Sears, Roebuck & Co. |
CEO |
Former |
| Kmart |
President |
Former |
| Kmart Corporation |
President & CEO |
Former |
| YUM! Brands, Inc. |
President |
Former |
| Sears Holdings Corporation |
President & CEO |
Former |
| Sears Logistics Services, Inc. |
President |
Former |
| The University of Houston |
Degrees, Business Management & English Literature |
Former |
| Sears Holdings Corporation |
Board of Directors |
Former |
| The University of Houston |
MBA |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Foreign Policy Association |
Senior Fellow |
Current |
| The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. |
Chairman, Global Affairs |
Current |
| The Johns Hopkins University |
Co-Chairman, American Institute for Contemporary German Studies |
Current |
| Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
Director |
Current |
| German-American Hall of Fame, Inc |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Shinsei Bank, Limited |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Foreign Policy Association |
Senior Fellow |
Current |
| The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. |
Chief Executive Officer |
Former |
| The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. |
President |
Former |
| American International Group, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Former |
John E. Bryson, 65, serves as Senior Advisor to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) and is Retired Chariman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Edison International. Mr. Bryson served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Edison International (an electric power generator and distributor), the parent company of Southern California Edison, from 1990 to 2008. He is also a director of The Boeing Company, a trustee of the California Institute of Technology and a director of the W.M. Keck Foundation and the California Endowment.
John S. Chen, 53, has been Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Sybase, Inc., a software developer, since November 1998. From February 1998 through November 1998, he served as co-Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Chen joined Sybase in August 1997 as Chief Operating Officer and served in that capacity until February 1998. From March 1995 to July 1997, Mr. Chen was President of the Open Enterprise Computing Division, Siemens Nixdorf, a computer and electronics company, and Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Siemens Pyramid, a subsidiary of Siemens Nixdorf. He is a director of Wells Fargo & Company.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Vice Chairman & Principle Creative Executive, Imagineering |
Current |
Monica C. Lozano, 52, is Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of La Opinion, the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the United States, and Senior Vice President of its parent company, ImpreMedia, LLC. In addition, Ms. Lozano is a member of the Board of Regents of the University of California and a trustee of the University of Southern California. She is a trustee of SunAmerica Asset Management Corporation and a director of the California Health Care Foundation.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| La Opinion |
Chief Executive Officer |
Former |
| Knight Commission |
Commissioner |
Current |
| SunAmerica Asset Management Corp. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Bank of America Corporation |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
Director |
Current |
| The Regents |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Infoseek Corporation |
Director |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| SunAmerica Asset Management Corp. |
Trustee |
Current |
| Impremedia, LLC |
CEO |
Former |
| Impremedia, LLC |
Senior Vice President |
Former |
| Impremedia, LLC |
Publisher |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| City of Seattle Corporation |
Green Ribbon Commission Co-Chair |
Current |
| Washington Mutual, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Conservation International |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Nike, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Starbucks Corporation |
Chief Executive Officer |
Former |
| Starbucks Corporation |
President |
Former |
| Starbucks Corporation |
Chief Financial Officer |
Former |
| Starbucks Corporation |
Vice President |
Former |
| University of Washington |
|
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| The Clorox Company |
Presiding Director |
Current |
| Friedman Fleischer & Lowe, LLC |
Executive Investor |
Current |
| Disney Enterprises, Inc. |
Director |
Current |
| Merchant Advisory Group (Mag) |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Debtconnection.Com |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Infoseek Corporation |
Director |
Current |
| The Walt Disney Company |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| The Seagram Company, Ltd. |
Chief Financial Officer |
Former |
| The Seagram Company, Ltd. |
Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors |
Former |
| The Clorox Company |
Director |
Former |
| McKesson Corporation |
Board of Directors |
Former |
| Stanford Graduate School of Business |
Master of Business Administration Degree |
Former |
| Stanford University |
Bachelor of Arts Degree In Sociology |
Former |
Steve Jobs is the CEO of Apple, which he co-founded in 1976. Apple leads the industry in innovation with its award-winning Macintosh computers, OS X operating system, and consumer and professional applications software. Apple is also leading the digital music revolution, having sold almost 200 million iPods and over six billion songs from its iTunes online store. Apple has also entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.
Steve also co-founded Pixar Animation Studios, which has created eight of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time: Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars and Ratatouille. Pixar has won 20 Academy Awards and its films have grossed more than $4 billion at the worldwide box office to date. Pixar merged with The Walt Disney Company in 2006 and Steve now serves on Disney's board of directors.
Steve grew up in the apricot orchards which later became known as Silicon Valley, and still lives there with his wife and three children.
Susan E. Arnold, 55, has been President - Global Business Units of Procter & Gamble (retirement announced) since 2007. Prior to that, she was Vice Chair of P&G Beauty and Health from 2006, Vice Chair of P&G Beauty from 2004 and President Global Personal Beauty Care and Global Feminine Care from 2002. She is a director of McDonalds Corporation.
Executive News
-
Disney-Marvel deal has $140 mln termination fee
CNN Money - 9/04/09 - View Story
-
Executive Summary
BusinessWeek - 9/03/09 - View Story
-
Disney to Acquire Marvel
Travel Agent - 9/03/09 - View Story
-
Of mouse and X-Men
The Economist - 9/03/09 - View Story
-
Walt Disney buys Marvel Entertainment: Of mouse and X-Men
The Economist - 9/03/09 - View Story
-
Disney-Marvel benefits come with time
Reuters - 9/03/09 - View Story
-
Spidey joins ranks with Mickey Mouse
SNL Securities - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
Marvel 'Fanboys' Leery About Deal
The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
Takeovers & Tenancy: Spider-Man Still Protecting New York... For Now
CoStar Group - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
As long as the Disney company is intact and one entity, this is going to be theirs forever, so they're looking at it from a very long-term perspective.
Reuters - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
Disney to Acquire Comic Book Giant Marvel
VOA News - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
RPT-ANALYSIS-Disney-Marvel benefits come with time lag, risks
CNN Money - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
Disney to buy comic book powerhouse Marvel for $4 billion (08/31/2009)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
The House of Mouse enters the superhero biz
Vindy.com - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
Disney casts web wider with US$4b Marvel acquisition
South China Morning Post - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
Disney to buy comic book powerhouse Marvel for $4B
Kingston Whig-Standard - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
Mickey And Spidey -- Together At Last
IMDB - 9/02/09 - View Story
-
Disney buys Marvel
Daily Titan - 9/01/09 - View Story
-
Disney-Marvel benefits come with time lag, risks
Reuters - 9/01/09 - View Story
-
Disney to Acquire Marvel Entertainment in $4 Billion Stock and Cash Deal
Toon Zone - 9/01/09 - View Story