Joe Masher, chief operating officer of Bow Tie Cinemas, will receive ShowEast’s 2019 “Al Shapiro Distinguished Service Award” on Thursday, October 17 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
Each year, the Al Shapiro Distinguished Service Award honors a person who represents the ideals and standards that the late Al Shapiro set during his distinguished career. The award salutes their dedication and concern for people within the motion picture industry.
“We could not have chosen a more deserving individual to recognize with this year’s Al Shapiro Award,” said Andrew Sunshine, president of the Film Expo Group, which manages ShowEast. “Joe is a well-respected leader and his dedication to the film industry is to be commended and celebrated.”
Born in Albany, New York, Masher started his career at age 11 as the “rewind boy” at a summer resort that had a 35mm carbon arc projection system. In 1990, he was transferred to Binghamton, NY, where he was responsible for five “hard tops” and one “drive-in” theater for Loews. In 1994, he relocated to New York City to open Loews’ new showplace, the Lincoln Square 12, which featured the first Imax auditorium in a commercial theater. Later, he opened the Kips Bay 15 for Loews.
In 2000, Masher joined Clearview Cinemas as a division manager, responsible for Northern Jersey, Westchester, Rockland and Connecticut, and created the company’s first training program for floor staff. In 2004, he left Clearview Cinemas and joined Bow Tie Cinemas as chief operating officer. As COO of Bow Tie, he oversaw Bow Tie’s acquisition of Crown Theatres in 2006 and Clearview Cinemas in 2013. Bow Tie also built several high-profile locations in Richmond and Reston, VA, and three sites in upstate New York.
Masher serves as treasurer of national NATO and sits on the Government Relations Committee and the Political Action Committee for that organization. Since 2013, he has been president of NATO of New York State and is a registered New York State lobbyist. He’s rallied on behalf of theaters for important issues such as predictive scheduling, soda cup size regulations, and alcohol in theaters legislation. He also serves as vice president of CATO (Connecticut Association of Theater Owners).
Share this post