The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will honor 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 announced today. CinemaCon, the official convention of NATO, will be held April 25-28, 2022, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Mr. Jacob is being recognized by NATO for his unequalled dedication, commitment, and service to the motion picture theatre industry. He will receive his industry tribute as part of CinemaCon’s “State of the Industry” program on Tuesday, April 26.

“Ellis Jacob is quite simply a marvelous human being,” said NATO president and CEO John Fithian. “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.”

Rolando Rodriguez, NATO chairman and Chairman, President and CEO of Marcus Theatres said, “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.”

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

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.

Cineplex employs over 10,000 people in its offices and venues across Canada and the United States.

About CinemaCon
CinemaCon will attract upwards of 6,000 motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry –from exhibition and distribution, to the equipment and concession areas – all on hand to celebrate the movie-going experience and the cinema industry.

CinemaCon is delighted to have both the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) as its tradeshow partners. CinemaCon is also delighted to have as its official presenting sponsor, The Coca-Cola Company, one of the industry’s greatest and highly regarded and respected partners in the world of the movies.

About NATO
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 35,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and more than 32,000 screens in 100 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners, too.

Additional information on CinemaCon as well as an application to apply for press credentials can be found at www.cinemacon.com.