Gerry Byrne launched his media and entertainment consultancy, Fidelis Global Enterprises LLC, on January 1, 2010 following the sale of the Nielsen Media & Entertainment Group to e5 Global Media. Mr. Byrne is now also Chairman of the Executive Council of AdGenesis, a technology and software company that enables brands to target relevant advertising to accountable opt-in audiences who are then rewarded for their views/engagement.Appointed Senior Vice President of that newly created Nielsen Group in March 2008, the properties included The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Backstage, Kirkus Reviews, The Bookseller, Adweek, Brandweek, Mediaweek, The Clios, Editor & Publisher and industry expos ShoWest, ShowEast, Cineasia and Cinema Expo International. Prior to Nielsen, Gerry Byrne Media Partners LLC, provided strategic business development counsel to clients that included Parade Magazine, Washington Life Magazine, Reed Business Information (RBI), The Nielsen Company, Recognition Media and Velocity Services Inc. (now MMC). Additionally, as Chairman and Founder of the Quills Literacy Foundation, Mr. Byrne led the 2005 launch of “The Quills”, a consumer-driven book awards program financed by RBI, broadcast on the NBC/Universal Stations and produced by Al Roker Productions.Gerry Byrne joined Stagebill Media as President and Chief Executive Officer and partner in April 2000. Stagebill, a luxury media advertising platform, and Performing Arts Magazine were acquired by Playbill Inc. in June, 2002. Stagebill, America’s foremost custom publisher for the performing arts, provided performance programs for over 120 venues including: Lincoln Center, Washington’ s Kennedy Center, Chicago’s Lyric, and Steppenwolf, and LA’s Geffen Theater and Music Center. Avenue, New York’s publication for affluent lifestyle, acquired by Stagebill Media in August 2001, was sold to New York’s Manhattan Media Group in August 2002.
Prior to Stagebill, Mr. Byrne, for well over a decade, was the Group Vice President and Publisher of Variety and Daily Variety, a period when Variety most significantly raised its profitability, launched new editions, and expanded its role as a leader in entertainment publications and web sites. Mr. Byrne led the launch of Daily Variety’s “Gotham Edition” in March 1998 as well as Variety/Schroder “Big Picture” Conference. He joined Variety from Norman Lear’s ACT III Communications where he was Senior Vice President of Planning and International Development. Prior to Act III, while at Crain Communications, Mr. Byrne was the start-up publisher of both Electronic Media (now Television Week) and Crain’s New York Business.
A staunch believer in “participation“, Mr. Byrne is on the boards of The Creative Coalition, The Hamptons Film Festival, The Armory Foundation, The Reisenbach Foundation, The Fisher House Foundation, The Fisher Center for Alzheimers Research, The Intrepid Museum Foundation, VeteransAdvantage and The New York City Police Museum. Mr. Byrne was awarded the “Salah M. Hassanein Humanitarian Award” at ShowEast ’96 for his many community involvements. New York’s Elaine Kaufman Cultural Center’s 2002 Distinguished Service Award was presented to Mr. Byrne for his business leadership and for his support of causes that benefit humanity. Additionally, the NYPD Marine Corps Association awarded Mr. Byrne its 2002 “Semper Fi” Award for his work in the community. And in June 2009, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented Mr. Byrne the “Made in New York” Award for his support of the Gotham’s entertainment and media enterprises. Mr. Byrne is a member of The Media Council of The Paley Center, The British Academy of Film & Television Arts, The New York Athletic Club, and The Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick.
Mr. Byrne is a native New Yorker and a 1966 graduate of Fordham College.
Mr. Byrne and his wife, Elizabeth, have two children. Son, Gavin, a graduate of Fordham is Director of Content Operations at Saavn LLC. Daughter, Megan, an actor, received her MFA in acting from the University of California, Irvine. Megan’s undergraduate degree is from Middlebury College.
Abby Raphel, Executive Director, The Redwoods Initiative
Abby Raphel is the Executive Director of The Redwoods Initiative, a not-for-profit venture focused on family sustainability through wealth education. She is also a co-founder of A-Society, a private network for the next generation. Prior to The Redwoods Initiative, she was the Education Director for Highmount Capital. Her media, event and education consulting experience includes The Nielsen Company, The Quill Awards, Reed Business Information, Inferential Focus, Jonathan Product and the USMC Marine Corp Birthday Gala. Abby’s approach to business and education is collaborative and inclusive. She believes in developing deep and lasting relationships anchored by common values and inspired vision.Abby has a BA from Jacksonville University in Communications and is completing her master’s thesis at NYU’s Gallatin in Education and Psychology. She is certified as an MBTI Facilitator and has taught with dozens of organizations focused on personal empowerment programs for young people.
Stephanie Power, Managing Director, Highmount Capital
A founding employee of Highmount Capital, Stephanie leads the client family office team and is involved in strategic management direction. Prior to Highmount, Stephanie lead a privately held real estate company. She is a graduate of Rutgers University.
Marjorie Hewett, Senior Vice President at Brown Harris Stevens
Marjorie has represented exclusive properties on Manhattan’s East and West Sides for more than 15 years. A Manhattan resident for 30 years, Marjorie specializes in both the sale and rental of premier cooperatives, condominiums and townhouses.A graduate of Wellesley College and Columbia Business School, Marjorie’s first career was on Wall Street. She was a VP at Salomon Brothers, analyzing credit opportunities and initiating new companies to the debt markets. Subsequently, she ran the retail high yield desk at Bear Stearns.Marjorie’s analytical and communications skills and negotiating prowess, well-honed during her ten years on Wall Street, have proven extremely useful to her business and philanthropic endeavors. She is a board member of The East Side Settlement House.
Marjorie, whose two sons have matriculated through the Manhattan school system, is both personally knowledgeable about the various programs offered by area schools and committed to enhancing education overall.
Jo Singel, Founder of JLA Partners
Jo has twenty-five years of experience in conducting retainer search for C-Suite and mid to senior level professionals in a wide range of industries and not-for-profit organizations.Ms. Singel has achieved results in assessing talent for purposes of development, retention and restructuring resulting from buy-outs, investor funding and mergers & acquisitions. She has acted in the capacity as advisor and coach to C-Level Professionals in Global 10, Family Foundations and Fortune 500 companies.Additionally, Ms. Singel is experienced in performance management, productivity improvement, organizational development, leadership & management development, change and knowledge management. She has over fifteen years of experience in corporate environments: Estee Lauder, Gulf+Western Industries, General Instrument, and JPMorgan Chase.
Her activities include acting as a Mentor, Coach and Advisor to Business Schools: Baruch College, Zicklin School of Business; New York University, Stern School of Business; Pace University, Lubin School of Business. Ms. Singel has served as a Coach/Evaluator for The NYU Berkeley Center Entrepreneurial Business Competition for the past several years.
Ms. Singel has authored two books, “Every Person a Leader” and “The Dandelions of Woodlawn Avenue”. She is a frequent Speaker and Presenter at Conferences and Trade Associations, addressing a variety of topics on leadership and management challenges in organizational environments.
Ms. Singel graduated from New York University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities. She received the Founders Day Award in 1981 for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement.
Janine Lee Craane, Managing Director, Global Institutional Consultant, Craane Group, Merrill Lynch
A graduate of Hunter College High School and Amherst College, Janine Lee Craane began her career on the foreign equity arbitrage desk of Merrill Lynch, where she took advantage of her language skills — Spanish, French, and Portuguese — to gain insight into emerging markets. Today, with over 30 years of experience in the industry, Janine runs a financial advisory boutique within Merrill Lynch named The Craane Group.
