Spike Lee is a Writer, Director, Actor, Producer, Author and Educator who has helped revolutionize modern Independent cinema. Lee is a forerunner in the 'do it yourself' school of independent film. Spike's latest endeavor is the Peabody Award winning documentary If God is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise, which revisits the recently Storm ravaged Gulf Coast region as residents attempt to rebuild in their cities while also demanding assistance and accountability from their political leaders. Recent critical and box office successes have included such films as Inside Man, 25th Hour, The Original Kings of Comedy, Bamboozled and Summer of Sam. Lee's films Girl 6, Get on the Bus, Do the Right Thing and Clockers display his ability to showcase a series of outspoken and provocative socio-political critiques that challenge cultural assumptions on race, class and gender identity. Spike's commercial work began in 1988 with his Nike Air Jordan campaign. Collaborating with basketball great Michael Jordan on several commercials, Lee resurrected his popular character, Mars Blackmon from She's Gotta Have It. His other commercial ventures include TV spots for Philips, ESPN, American Express, Snapple, Taco Bell and the Lean Forward campaign for MSNBC. Lee began teaching a course about filmmaking and Black cinema at Harvard in 1991 and since 2002, Lee has been Artistic Director of the Graduate Film Program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where he received his Master of Fine Arts in Film Production. Spike Lee has combined his extensive creative experience into yet another venture: partnering with DDB Needham he created SpikeDDB, a full-service advertising agency. SpikeDDB Clients include Chevy, Pepsi and Comcast.
James L. Nederlander, President of The Nederlander Organization, leads a family business that began in 1912 and now encompasses every aspect of the live entertainment industry from venue ownership and management, theatrical producing and concert presentation, and patron services. With venues in New York, Chicago, Durham, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and London, Jimmy is a prolific producer who is currently represented on Broadway by Evita starring Ricky Martin, and Spider-Man: Turn off The Dark. With a keen eye for popular entertainment for audiences of all ages, he has also produced dozens of distinguished, award-winning musicals and plays including Movin' Out; Fiddler on the Roof; Grease; La Cage aux Folles; Million Dollar Quartet; Next To Normal; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; West Side Story, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Jimmy is also one of the country's most astute presenters of headline talent such as Adele, Billy Joel, Harry Connick Jr., Neil Diamond, U2, Paul McCartney, Florence and the Machine, Pink Floyd, Sting, U2, and the Rolling Stones to mention a few. In addition to being a business innovator, Jimmy is also a committed leader and philanthropist who sits on the Board of Trustees of many leading organizations.
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