BURBANK, CA – October 20, 2021 – Cast & Crew today announced the expansion of its Board of Directors with the addition of Stephanie Allain, an award-winning producer, industry executive and advocate for People of Color and women in entertainment. Her appointment expands the Board’s size to seven members, while further adding depth of entertainment industry knowledge and experience to the group.
“We are pleased to welcome Stephanie to our Board of Directors,” said Mason Slaine, Cast & Crew’s Chairman. “Her extensive entertainment industry experience, paired with her enviable record of supporting important cultural and social causes, match perfectly with Cast & Crew’s values and dedication to our customers.”
Following positions at 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures and Jim Henson Pictures, Ms. Allain in 2003 founded Homegrown Pictures, a Los Angeles-based film and television production company. Her career producer experience includes the following films: Hustle & Flow, Something New, Beyond the Lights, Dear White People, Burning Sands, French Dirty, Juanita and Really Love. Her television producer credits include Dear White People and the 2020 Academy Awards for which she was Emmy nominated. She has received numerous awards, both for her productions as well as her role in leading progressive change in the industry.
Allain formerly served on the board of Film Independent, and as a Vice President of the Board of Directors of Women In Film, a non-profit organization that advocates for and advances the careers of women working in film and television. She is currently on the board of the Producer’s Guild of America and the American Cinematheque. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Writers Guild of America, Producers Guild of America and Dramatists Guild of America. From 2011-2016 she served as Director of the LA Film Festival.
“I am so pleased to join Cast & Crew’s Board at this stage of the company’s development,” she said. “Cast & Crew has an impressive – and long-term – track record for serving its customers and providing a supportive workplace for its employees. I’ve been fortunate to work with Cast & Crew throughout my career, and I now look forward to working with the other directors to contribute to the company’s continued success.”
John Berkley, Cast & Crew CEO, added: “Cast & Crew is a leader in an industry going through rapid transformation, and we are driving some of the most important advances, including digitizing, automating, and simplifying the experience of creating entertainment content. What hasn’t changed, however, is why we are here: to support creativity. And that extends to every person who brings these stories to life. Stephanie’s addition to our Board underlines our enduring commitment to that objective.”
Board Members
In addition to Ms. Allain, Cast & Crew’s Board is comprised of members with extensive entertainment and technology experience:
- Mason Slaine, a strategic investor, entrepreneur, and multi-time CEO, who also is Chairman of PRO Unlimited, a leading workforce management company, and MLM 2. He also serves on the Boards of Reorg Inc. and Certara LLC.
- Eric Belcher, Cast & Crew’s former Chief Executive Officer and President, who is now Vice Chairman. Mr. Belcher also is a Board member of the Canadian Film Centre.
- Hawk Koch, a film producer for more than 40 years, as well as the former president of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Producers Guild of America. Mr. Koch also serves on the Boards of theater operator AMC Entertainment Inc. and the Motion Picture and Television Fund. He was the author of the celebrated book “Magic Time: My Life in Hollywood.”
- Clare Hart, Chief Executive Officer at Williams Lea, a global provider of skilled business-critical support services to financial, legal, and professional services firms, and a director at payment-cycle management firm Billtrust.
- Rick Simonson, a former Chief Financial Officer at travel technology company Sabre Corp. and current Board member of video-game company Electronic Arts, database company Couchbase, and commerce software company EverCommerce.
- Kasper Grundtvig Knokgaard, Partner and Global Head of the Services Sector at EQT Partners, Cast & Crew’s majority owner.
About Cast & Crew
Cast & Crew is a leading provider of software and services to the Entertainment Industry, providing technology-driven solutions in the areas of payroll and human resources, accounting and financial, data and reporting, and workflow and productivity. Together, the company’s solutions and experts are driving the digital transformation of entertainment production. The company was founded in 1976 and its corporate headquarters are in Burbank, California. Please visit www.castandcrew.com.
ABOUT EQT
EQT is a leading investment firm with approximately EUR 50 billion in raised capital across 27 funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia, and the US with total sales of more than EUR 19 billion and approximately 110,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence, and market leadership. Please visit www.eqtgroup.com.
Cast & Crew Media Inquiries
Elizabeth Harsh
Elizabeth.Harsh@castandcrew.com
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