NATPE Taps Chris Grant and Jordan Levin as New Co-chairs

On the eve of its annual trade show in Miami, NATPE has tapped Shine Intl. president Chris Grant and Generate CEO Jordan Levin as the non-profit org's new co-chairs. Eight new board members were also elected.

The new appointees were unveiled Wednesday by NATPE president and CEO Rick Feldman.

"It's only fitting that Chris and Jordan --- both TV industry veterans and leaders in the modern content revolution –-- help oversee the growth of our organization as we move forward in Miami," Feldman said.

"Over the last year, the NATPE board has attacked this market with renewed energy and enthusiasm, and we will be witnessing the results in Miami next week.

"I'm excited to build on this momentum to cement NATPE as a must-attend event where business deals are actually made and you leave feeling quite a bit smarter than when you arrived," Grant added.

Newly elected members of the board of directors are My Damn Channel CEO Rob Barnett; Venevision VP Cesar Diaz; Global CEO of FremantleMedia David Ellender; Radical Media president Bob Friedman; ICM's Greg Lipstone, Entertainment One CEO John Morayniss; producer Scott Sternberg; and CW executive vp Elizabeth Tumulty.

The newcomers will be flanked by ten returning board members: E!'s Lisa Berger, ITV Studios' Paul Buccieri; A&E's Nancy Dubuc; Univision's Luis Fernandez; producer Phil Gurin; CableReady's Gary Lico; Weigel's Neal Sabin; CAA's Hans Schiff; LMNO's Eric Schotz; and GroupM's Peter Tortorici.

The 2011 NATPE Executive Committee consists of Feldman and Lionsgate TV president Kevin Beggs along with a half-dozen other reps from the TV station and syndication biz.