The Inter-Society for the Enhancement of Cinema Presentation is pleased to announce that Jack Kline, chairman, president and CEO of Christie’s operating companies, will receive the 2014 Ken Mason Inter-Society Award. The award will be presented by Susie Beiersdorf, the Inter-Society’s president and vice president of sales at Sony Electronics on March 25 in conjunction with CinemaCon 2014.
“I am honored to present Jack with this well- deserved award for his ongoing support of our industry, both personally and professionally” said Beiersdorf. “Under Jack’s leadership, Christie has become a major innovator in the entertainment industry including the first commercial deployment of digital cinema.”
The annual award honors an individual who has made outstanding long-term contributions leading to the overall improvement of the motion picture experience. Previous recipients include: Ken Mason, Barry Reardon, Al Shapiro, Bud Stone, Ioan Allen, Mark Christiansen, Sid Ganis, and Jack Cashin.
As president & COO of Christie Digital Systems USA, Kline is responsible for leading Christie's global sales and marketing. During his tenure at Christie, he has strengthened and expanded Christie's worldwide distribution of high performance projection displays and visualization solutions across the company's five major product portfolios: Cinema/Digital Cinema, Fixed Installation, Rental/Staging, Control Rooms, and Advanced Visualization & Simulation.
“Having known Jack for over 20 years, I can think of very few individuals more deserving of this award” said Dan Huerta, vice president of Sight & Sound, AMC Theatres. “Jack has helped grow Christie into one of the most recognized technology and service companies in the cinema and digital signage industries. His strategic vision and commitment to succeed have benefitted many, including cinema operators and moviegoers.”
“Jack Kline is a true pioneer in theatrical technologies” said last year’s Ken Mason award recipient, Jerry Pierce. “Jack made the leap to aggressively move Christie to digital projection taking a business risk and leading the way. His efforts pushed Christie to be on the leading edge of digital projection.”
Kline was instrumental in developing Christie's new acquisition strategies that helped rapidly establish Christie as a major force in the digital arena; the acquisition of Electrohome Projection Systems in 1999 set the stage for Christie's increasingly dynamic leadership role in the global conversion to digital technology.
“I commend the Inter-Society in its selection of Jack Kline as this year’s recipient of the Ken Mason award,” said Jeffery S. Miller, president, studio operations, Walt Disney Studios. “Jack’s contribution to the development and deployment of digital cinema technology has vastly improved the movie-going experience. His long-term commitment to the motion picture industry, along with his insight and leadership in the projection and digital cinema arenas, deserve gratitude and recognition.”
“Jack is one of the most well-respected and trusted individuals I know in this business,” said Chuck Goldwater, executive vice president, Digiplex Cinemas. “For more than 30 years I have enjoyed working with Jack and watching him help lead the industry through significant technological advances, most recently into the digital cinema era. At Cinedigm Jack’s role as our partner in the pioneering Christie/AIX deployment program was vital in making that such a successful venture. I applaud Inter-Society for selecting Jack to receive this honor, for which he is so richly and uniquely deserving.”
Kline joined Christie in 1979 as a national sales representative; was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing in 1988; was named executive vice president & COO in 1997; and was appointed as president & COO in 1999. As of April 1 he will be chairman, president and CEO of Christie’s operating companies worldwide.
"It's great when someone you've known and respected for many years gets acknowledged by their peers” said Ioan Allen, senior vice president, Dolby Laboratories. “Jack is a gentleman of the industry – well deserved.”
Kline is a member of several industry organizations, including the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers, the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers, and the International Cinema Technology Association. And he is actively involved with numerous charities, including the Lollipop Theater Network, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Stop Hunger Now, and Variety – The Children's Charity of the United States.