Milton I. Moritz will be retiring from his position as President & CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners of California/Nevada, the trade group representing California and Nevada cinemas, after a 23 year tenure as its President and Chief Executive Officer. His retirement will be effective January 31, 2022.
NATO of California/Nevada nearly doubled in size throughout Moritz’s stewardship, growing from 35 member companies to 63. Today, the association represents a total of 4,682 screens across California and Nevada. During his tenure, Moritz introduced college and vocational school scholarship grants awarded to field level member theaters’ employees and family members, and scholarship grants to aspiring filmmakers attending the film schools at UCLA and USC. He also launched the association’s community outreach efforts, with grants being presented to deserving organizations serving underprivileged and at-risk youth, feeding the hungry, combating substance abuse, and programs aiding children with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ community. Between the college scholarship grants and the grants to community organizations, NATO of CA/NV has distributed in excess of $8,000,000.00.
Prior to assuming his position at NATO of California/Nevada, Moritz served as Vice President, Advertising & Publicity for Los Angeles-based Pacific Theatres for six years. Previously, Moritz headed the advertising and publicity department at American International Pictures (AIP), where he served as Senior Vice President, Advertising, Publicity and Promotion until his departure in 1979. While at AIP, Moritz was responsible for campaigns across several decades, including a series of “Beach Party” movies, a string of Vincent Price horror films, Pam Grier’s succession of urban action films, and titles such as I was a Teenage Werewolf, The Wild Angles, The Amityville Horror, among many others.
“It has been a privilege to serve NATO of California/Nevada for the past 23 years and to have remained so intimately involved in an industry which I have always loved,” said Moritz. “I can think of no more fitting way of concluding my working years than leaving a position in the same field I entered when I had my own theater at the age of 21.”
Share this post