NATO Elects Bob Bagy and Mike Bowers as Chair and Vice-Chair

variety.com:

Caroline Brew editor The National Association of Theatre Owners executive board of directors has elected Bob Bagby as the new NATO chair and Mike Bowers as NATO vice-chair.

Additionally, Tim Handren was elected chair of the Cinema Foundation, and Tori A. Baker was re-elected as vice chair. Bagby is the president and CEO of B&B Theatres, the largest family owned and operated theater chain in the country. “When I was starting out, our family had only 17 screens, and now we’re the largest family-run cinema chain with more than 500 screens, so I have a unique perspective on all sides of the business,” Bagby said in a statement. “It’s an honor for me to represent the dedicated and hard-working people of cinemas across the globe and I look forward to serving the interests of our industry as we continue to bring the magic of the movies to the world.” Bowers is the president and CEO of the Scottsdale-based Harkins Theatres.

His career has spanned 40 years, including 35 spent in the motion picture industry. “Bob Bagby is one of those people whose optimistic vision and positivity are contagious, and Mike Bowers’ passion for the industry and strategic insights are well-known,” said NATO president & CEO Michael O’Leary in a statement. “It’s a pleasure to work with these innovative leaders with decades of experience between them, and I am confident they will help steer our great industry to even greater heights.” Handren is CEO of Santikos Entertainment, which operates 27 venues in the southeastern United States and a real estate portfolio of 1.2 million square feet.