BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.,
April 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Marcia Allen, the corporate
finance veteran who, among her many achievements, helped found what
is now Lionsgate Entertainment, and structured and facilitated the
acquisition of Taco Bell, Inc. by PepsiCo, Inc., has been appointed
Chief Financial Officer of Hollywood Studios
International (Pink Sheets: HYWS), chairman and CEO
Steven Saxton announced
today. "Ms. Allen is a tremendous asset to our executive team,"
Saxton said. "Her proven leadership in financial matters,
especially corporate finance and venture capital, brings even
greater value to our company."
In her new role as CFO, Allen will focus her energies on all
day-to-day financial operations, including account and investor
relations, as well as assisting with the venture capital process
for HSI and its subsidiaries. "Given their track record of
commercial and financial successes in various areas of the
entertainment industry, the opportunities that lie ahead are
without limit," Allen said. "Joining a team with the type of vision
and determination I see present at Hollywood Studios International
was very important to me."
Allen comes to HSI with more than twenty-five plus years of
merger and acquisition, corporate finance, CFO and CEO experience
in the areas of entertainment, film finance, strategic planning and
investment banking. To date she has facilitated $500 million plus in production and print and ad
financing transactions for film slates and production companies.
Throughout her impressive career she has been devoted to venture
capital and corporate finance, representing both investors and
companies in the small to mid-cap arena. As Chief Financial Officer
for Taco Bell, Inc. (NASDAQ), she structured and facilitated the
acquisition of Taco Bell, Inc. by PepsiCo, Inc.
Allen has helped found several companies including, Ruby
Tuesday, Inc., (NYSE) a national restaurant chain, where she was
the company's Chief Financial Officer, and The Movie Group, (AMX),
the originating company which is today Lionsgate Entertainment
(NYSE). There she served as Chief Financial Officer and Director.
She has also served as Managing Director of Elite Capital, Inc., a
venture capital firm, was Principal at Allen/Brenner, Inc., a money
and cash management firm, and was Senior Vice President of Finance
and Business Development for the Fortune 50 company W.R. Grace & Co. (NYSE). Prior to
joining Hollywood Studios International, Allen was the CEO and
founder of Allen & Associates, a finance and strategic advisory
firm focusing on media companies. She was educated in Finance and
Accounting at the University of
Tennessee.
ABOUT HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS INTERNATIONAL
Hollywood Studios International (Pink Sheets: HYWS) is a
privately held media holding company focused on the intelligent
deployment of capital in the entertainment industry. The company
has developed a portfolio of fee-based businesses ranging from
talent representation to international distribution. Following the
current round of private funding, the Company intends to file with
the SEC to be a publicly traded company.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release may contain certain forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended. Investors are cautioned that all
forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any
assumption could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no
assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this
press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the
significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking
statements included herein, the inclusion should not be regarded as
a representation by the Company or any other person that the
objective and plans of the Company will be achieved.
SOURCE Hollywood Studios International