The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), announced today the election of new officers to two-year terms by the Executive Board of Directors at the association’s annual meeting, held virtually, 29 September – 7 October 2020.

Rolando B. Rodriguez, Chairman, President & CEO of Marcus Theatres, Milwaukee, Wisc., previously Vice-Chairman of NATO, was elected as Chairman; Bob Bagby, President and CEO of B&B Theatres, Liberty, Mo., was elected as Vice-Chairman; Joseph Masher, COO of Bow Tie Cinemas, Times Square, NY and Ridgefield, Conn., was re-elected as Treasurer; and John Vincent, Jr, President, Wellfleet Drive-In & Cinemas, Wellfleet, Mass., was elected as Secretary.

High on the agenda for the meetings were the industrywide CinemaSafe protocols (www.CinemaSafe.org), the re-opening of markets, studio film supply, government aid to movie theaters and their employees, and the revitalization of the moviegoing industry worldwide at the eventual end of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

NATO president and CEO John Fithian noted, “On behalf of our members, I want to thank our outgoing officers and Executive Board members and our new officers and Board members for their service. NATO is a member-driven organization and we are fortunate during these extraordinarily difficult times to have the most talented and dedicated members of the industry available to lead us.”

The Executive Board of Directors is the governing body of NATO, comprised of 17 leaders in the domestic exhibition industry. The four volunteer officers of the association are elected from and by the members of the Executive Board.

NATO’s structure is designed to encourage member participation in the activities, benefits and deliberations of the association. An Advisory Board, comprised of more than 100 representatives of the domestic and international exhibition community, deliberates on exhibition issues, and makes policy recommendations to the Executive Board of Directors.

About NATO
The National Association of Theatre Owners is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 35,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and more than 33,000 additional screens in 97 countries worldwide.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a second office in North Hollywood, California, NATO represents its members in the heart of the nation’s capital as well as the center of the entertainment industry. From these vantage points, NATO helps exhibition influence federal policy-making and work with movie distributors on all areas of mutual concern, from new technologies to legislation, marketing, and First Amendment issues. www.natoonline.org