Jeff Kwatinetz

Jeff Kwatinetz (born April 15, 1965) was the CEO of a talent management company called The Firm and is the co-founder and co-partner, with Richard H. Frank, of the entertainment management and production company Prospect Park.

Early life and education

Kwatinetz was born in Brooklyn, New York and lived in Brooklyn until the third grade, when his family moved to Marlboro Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. He graduated from Marlboro High School.[1] He attended Northwestern University in Illinois and is a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity.[2] He graduated from Harvard Law School as a Juris Doctor.[3][4]

Career

He has worked with many celebrities,[5] including music acts Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Lopez, and Kelly Clarkson and actors Samuel L. Jackson and Vin Diesel.

Kwatinetz founded The Firm in 1997 to quickly become one of the top management and production companies in the industry representing talent in all facets of entertainment.[6] He has been successful in breaking, developing, and managing the careers of artists such as KoRn, Limp Bizkit, Backstreet Boys, Snoop Dogg, Enrique Iglesias, Vin Diesel, Ice Cube, Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Clarkson, OneRepublic, Rachel Weisz, Michael Jackson, Audioslave, Pete Yorn, Puddle of Mudd, and many more. The Firm acquired Artist Management Group in 2002 to add high-profile television and film industry managers and clients such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson, Benicio del Toro, Bill Condon, and Martin Scorsese and expand into an all-encompassing entertainment management and production company.

Britney Spears

Kwatinetz's company represented Britney for one month in 2007. He has been a controversial figure in the industry, especially in connection with such clients as Britney Spears. On September 17, 2007, he released a statement saying, "It saddens us to confirm media reports that we have terminated our professional relationship with Britney Spears. We have represented Britney for the past month. We believe Britney is enormously talented, and has made a terrific record. But current circumstances have prevented us from properly doing our job. We wish Britney the best."[7]

Departure From The Firm

Kwatinetz left The Firm in late 2008.[8]

Prospect Park

Kwatinetz founded Prospect Park, a management and record company. Prospect Park represents the Backstreet Boys,[9] Five Finger Death Punch,[10] Korn[11] and Like a Storm.[12]

Kwatinetz serves as CEO of Prospect Park, a media and production company with a portfolio of high-profile entertainment clients and film and television production under its banner. Kwatinetz founded Prospect Park in 2009 after several years operating as the CEO of The Firm.[13]

With Prospect Park, Kwatinetz serves as executive producer of the F/X comedy Wilfred and USA Network’s medical comedy, Royal Pains. The company additionally has several films and television programs in development and manages the careers of artists and talent across film, music and television.

References

  1. ↑ Waxman, Sharon. "Firm Believer: With His Hollywood Management Company, Jeff Kwatinetz Is Reaching for the Stars", The Washington Post, July 8, 2002. Accessed June 29, 2011. "Kwatinetz was born and raised in Brooklyn, his father an accountant in the garment industry and his mother a homemaker. When Jeff was in third grade, the family, which included a younger brother, moved to Marlboro, N.J."
  2. ↑ "quarterlysummer1986". Issuu.com. 2010-02-21. Retrieved 2012-10-15.
  3. ↑ http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2001/1210/046.html
  4. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/business/media/using-soap-operas-jeff-kwatinetz-plans-an-online-tv-network.html?pagewanted=all
  5. ↑ "Firm Believer". Washington Post. 2002-07-08. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  6. ↑ Waxman, Sharon (March 19, 2004). "Leading Hollywood Talent and Marketing Companies Merge". New York Times
  7. ↑ "Manager dumps Britney Spears". ABC News. 2007-09-19. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  8. ↑ NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief. "Jeff Kwatinetz Has Left The Firm Tonight; Can The Company Survive This Turmoil? - Deadline.com". Deadlinehollywooddaily.com. Retrieved 2012-10-15.
  9. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/3318653/backstreet-boys-return-with-new-album-in-a-world-like-this-kevin-richardson
  10. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/business/media/using-soap-operas-jeff-kwatinetz-plans-an-online-tv-network.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
  11. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/business/media/using-soap-operas-jeff-kwatinetz-plans-an-online-tv-network.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
  12. ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/01/14/idUS190658+14-Jan-2010+MW20100114
  13. ↑ Coker, Lesleyann. "Resurrecting the Soap Opera with Internet Distribution: Exclusive Interview with Jeff Kwatinetz". Forbes. April 10, 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/lesleyanncoker/2013/04/10/resurrecting-the-soap-opera-with-internet-distribution-exclusive-interview-with-jeff-kwatinetz/

External links