Edward Bleier was appointed Chairman of our board of directors effective May 7, 2010. Mr. Bleier has been a member of our board of directors since February 7, 2005. For 34 years, until his retirement as Senior Advisor in December 2003, Mr. Bleier was an executive of Warner Bros., Inc. From 1986 through 2000, he was President of the division responsible for broadcast and cable networks, pay-television and video-on-demand. He also previously served on Warner Communications' strategy committee, as President of Warner Bros. Animation, and overseeing the broadcast of certain sports properties. In May 2005, Mr. Bleier was appointed to the Board of Directors of Blockbuster, Inc. Mr. Bleier is currently a trustee of The Charles A. Dana Foundation, a member of the Advisory Board of Drakontas, Inc. and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Sr. Exec. Vice Pres, Director of Legal and Governmental Affairs, Member of the Office of the Chairman, Director
Howard J. Tytel was appointed Senior Executive Vice President, Director of Legal and Governmental Affairs, director and Member of the Office of the Chairman, effective February 7, 2005. Prior to that, since August 2000, Mr. Tytel was Executive Vice President and Director of Legal and Governmental Affairs of FXM, Inc. Mr. Tytel also serves on the management advisory committee of FXM Asset Management, the managing member of MJX Asset Management. Mr. Tytel served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary and a director of SFX Entertainment from December 1997 through August 2000. In January 1999, Mr. Tytel was elected as a Member of the Office of the Chairman of SFX Entertainment. Mr. Tytel also served as a director, General Counsel, Executive Vice President and Secretary of SFX Broadcasting from 1992 until May 1998. Mr. Tytel has been continuously associated with Mr. Sillerman in various capacities with entities operating in the media business since 1978.
Edwin M. Banks was appointed to our board of directors on February 8, 2005. Mr. Banks has served as a Portfolio Manager for W. R. Huff Asset Management Co., L.L.C., an investment management firm, since June 1988. Mr. Banks is currently a director of Caremark Rx, Inc. and NTL, Incorporated, a communications services company.
Bryan Bloom was elected to the board of directors in December 2009. Mr. Bloom has been employed by W.R. Huff Asset Management Co., L.L.C. and its affiliates for the past fifteen years. Prior to being employed by Huff, he was a tax partner at the law firm of Shanley & Fisher, P.C. Mr. Bloom is a Trustee of the Adelphia Recovery Trust, is on the Board of Directors of FX Real Estate & Entertainment, Inc., and serves on numerous private boards. He has been and observer to the Board of CKX for the past three years. He has been an adjunct professor at the graduate tax program at the Fairleigh Dickenson University and authored and lectured for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Jerry L. Cohen was appointed to our board of directors on February 7, 2005. Mr. Cohen has been a partner for more than six years with Tishman Speyer Properties, L.P., one of the largest and oldest real estate development organizations in the United States. Prior to that, from 1992 to 1998, Mr. Cohen was Vice Chair and a member of the Board of Directors of Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. Mr. Cohen is a partner of Yankee Global Enterprises. Mr. Cohen is a member of the Board of Overseers of New York University's Stern School of Business and the Board of Directors of the Manhattan Theatre Club.
Michael G. Ferrel was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and director effective May 7, 2010. Mr. Ferrel served as President, director and Member of the Office of the Chairman of CKX from May 2005 through November 2008. From August 2000 through May 2005, Mr. Ferrel served as President and Chief Executive Officer of FXM, Inc., a private investment firm. Mr. Ferrel served as President, Chief Executive Officer, Member of the Office of the Chairman and a director of SFX Entertainment, the largest owner and operator of venues for live entertainment in the United States (now a subsidiary of Live Nation) from December 1997 through August 2000.
Carl D. Harnick was appointed to our board of directors on February 7, 2005. Mr. Harnick has served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Courtside Acquisition Corp since March 18, 2005. Mr. Harnick was a partner with Ernst & Young and its predecessor for thirty years, retiring from the firm in September 1997. Since leaving Ernst & Young, Mr. Harnick has provided financial consulting services to various organizations, including Alpine Capital, a private investment firm, at various times since October 1997. He was a director of Platinum Entertainment, Inc., a recorded music company, from April 1998 through June 2000, Classic Communications, Inc., a cable television company, from January 2000 through January 2003, and Sport Supply Group, Inc., a direct mail marketer of sporting goods, from April 2003 through August 2004. Mr. Harnick has been the Treasurer as well as a Trustee for Prep for Prep, a charitable organization, for more than five years.
Jack Langer was appointed to our board of directors on February 7, 2005. Mr. Langer is a private investor. From April 1997 to December 2002, Mr. Langer was Managing Director and the Global Co-Head of the Media Group at Lehman Brothers Inc. From 1995 to 1997, Mr. Langer was the Managing Director and Head of Media Group at Bankers Trust & Company. From 1990 to 1994, Mr. Langer was Managing Director and Head of Media Group at Kidder Peabody & Company, Inc. Mr. Langer also serves on the Board of Directors of SBA Communications Corp. and Atlantic Broadband Group.
Priscilla Presley was appointed to our board of directors on February 8, 2005. Ms. Presley has been a director of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. since November 2000. Ms. Presley has served as Chairperson of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. since 1982. In addition to being an actress, author and producer, Ms. Presley has been, starting in 1988, the developer and spokesperson for an international fragrance line.
= Financial Expert
= Chair
= Member
