Next Gen 2011: Hollywood's Fastest-Rising Stars

For Lucterhand, 32, it was only a few short years after working as a camp counselor in the north woods of Wisconsin that he became a harried assistant to Ari Emanuel in the Beverly Hills offices of Endeavor in 2002. Bookended by gigs on the desks of Tom Strickler and Patrick Whitesell, the Chicago native says his 18 months with Emanuel were "life-changing." "I had the entire business pouring into my left ear every day. It was a pretty remarkable education at 23 years old. I grew up very quickly." As an integral part of WME's comedy group, Lucterhand helps steer the careers of clients Joel McHale, Charlie Day, Ellie Kemper, Rob Corddry and Nick Kroll, as well as those of several Saturday Night Live writers and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter star Ben Walker. "I've sought out clients to work with who are ambitious and curious and want to do things on their own terms," says Lucterhand. "Comedy lends itself to that." In his off-hours, the University of Wisconsin alum likes to travel with old friends and consume sports by the steinful, especially college basketball. "I'm a die-hard Bears fan and a die-hard Bulls fan as well," he says. "At the company, a lot of people see me as 'the Chicago guy.' "

PHOTOS: THR's Next Gen Class of 2011