The National Association of Theatre Owners/NATO has announced that Mike Bowers, President & CEO of Harkins Theatres, has been appointed as the new chair of its non-profit organization, The Cinema Foundation. Bowers takes over from Tim Handren, who recently retired as CEO of Santikos Theatres. Tori A. Baker, the CEO and President of the Salt Lake Film Society, will continue to lead as the Vice Chair of The Cinema Foundation.
With nearly 40 years in the theatre industry, Bowers has introduced groundbreaking innovations to the moviegoing experience and has led Harkins Theatres through significant growth and expansion from a local operator with six locations to the 5th highest grossing exhibitor in the United States and the highest performing company per location. In addition to his new role as the chair of The Cinema Foundation, Bowers is the Vice Chair of the NATO Executive Board, a member of The Greater Phoenix Leadership Council, on the committee for CEO’s Against Cancer for the American Cancer Society, a frequent consultant for the theatrical entertainment industry and a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.
“I’m thrilled to join the team behind The Cinema Foundation led by Bryan Braunlich with the goal of strengthening the cinema industry and engaging moviegoing audiences around the country,” says Bowers. “It’s a true honor to serve as the chair of this foundation for a great industry.”
“Mike is one of our most strategic, dedicated and passionate ambassadors for the cinema industry and for the importance of movie theatres as cornerstones serving our communities” says Bryan Braunlich, Executive Director of The Cinema Foundation. “We’re fortunate to have him as our chair.”
Since its inception, the Foundation has collaborated with NATO members, studios, vendors, partners and creatives to organize industry promotional events like National Cinema Day, National Popcorn Day and other programs bringing millions of film fans to theaters in overwhelming numbers.
About NATO
The National Association of Theatre Owners is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 32,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and more than 33,500 additional screens in 89 countries worldwide. For more info, visit www.theatreowners.org.
About The Cinema Foundation
The Cinema Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit dedicated to strengthening the cinema industry and engaging moviegoing audiences around the country. The Foundation promotes and enhances the exhibition industry through programming, events and activities, education and community involvement to advance the moviegoing experience.
Since March 2022, the Cinema Foundation’s mission has been dedicated to supporting and impacting the health of the cinema sector both in the short term and for years to come, while continuously expanding its contributions to the magic of moviegoing. The Cinema Foundation builds on NATO/National Association of Theatre Owners’ mission and relationships and expands NATO’s impact in ways that help individual employees, companies and the industry as a whole. For more info, visit www.thecinemafoundation.org.