Ellis Jacob, president and CEO of Cineplex, will receive the 2022 NATO Marquee Award at CinemaCon in April, the National Association of Theater Owners said Friday.
Jacob, a former NATO chairman who helped lead the exhibitors group during the disruptive onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, will receive his industry tribute as part of CinemaCon’s “State of the Industry” program on April 26.
Jacob “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,” said NATO president and CEO John Fithian. “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.”
Jacob heads up Cineplex, the Canadian exhibition giant with around 160 movie theaters and 1,652 screens and diversified offerings like The Rec Room out-of-home gaming complexes, digital e-commerce and Playdium for young families.
“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,” said Rolando Rodriguez, NATO chairman and president and CEO of Marcus Theatres.
CinemaCon, the official convention of NATO, will be held April 25 to 28, 2022, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
