Fran La Maina, former president and COO of Dick Clark Productions, died Friday of natural causes in Burbank, his family announced. He was 82.
La Maina, who represented the late Dick Clark for more than 25 years as his business adviser, began at DCP on Aug. 1, 1966, as the controller and head of accounting. In 1970, he was named secretary/treasurer of the company’s subsidiary and affiliated corporations, then became a director two years later.
By 1973, as vp business affairs, La Maina was responsible for all business matters associated with DCP’s TV specials, series, movies, game and talk shows and children’s programming. That included American Bandstand; the American Music, Golden Globes and Academy of Country Music awards shows; TV’s Bloopers & Practical Jokes; and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
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He was named executive vp in 1977 and president and COO in 1986, and he guided DCP’s emergence as a publicly traded offering in 1987 and 2002.
A native of Camden, New Jersey, La Maina worked in his father’s nightclub while in college. He graduated from the Villanova School of Business in 1961 and was a CPA at Deloitte Touche in New York and Goldenberg, Rosenthal & Co. in Philadelphia before moving to California.
In 1991, La Maina helped create Dick Clark Corporate Productions, which developed and executed nontraditional marketing communications programs, corporate events, trade shows, new product introductions and corporate and organizational film and video production. Clients included Apple, AT&T, Boeing, IBM, Intel, ITT Sheraton, Kodak, Lexus, Sony, Visa and Wendy’s.
He also served on the board of the Academy of Country Music.
Survivors include his partner, Carla Patterson; children Frank, Terri, Diane, Nick and Alicia; grandchildren Amanda, Gianna, Nicole, Luke, Jake and Michael; and great-grandchildren Alice and Arlie.
“Through our grief, we honor our beloved Dad, who impacted and inspired us all with his love, support, compassion and humor,” his children said in a statement. “You were our guiding light, and we will carry on your legacy. You are always in our hearts.”
Added Patterson: “Fran was my soulmate. In our 10 years together, we enjoyed staying at home, just the two of us, as much as we loved traveling the world. Fran’s favorite thing was to do random acts of kindness. His humor and generosity brought a smile to everyone he met. Fran was larger than life and was loved by all.”
A celebration of life is being planned. Contributions in his name may be made to the Villanova Athletic Fund; contact Whitey.Rigsby@villanova.edu.
