Generate Bulks Up Executive Team

LOS ANGELES: Generate has added a new chief financial officer, Chris Gwiazda, and a new executive VP of business affairs, Tim Stephen, alongside appointments at Generate Studios.  

The company named founding partner Pete Aronson as president of Generate Studios, with oversight for the development and production of franchise entertainment properties across film, television and digital platforms. Emmy Award-winning producer Michael Petok will serve as head of production for all Generate projects. 

"As Generate continues to deliver on the promise of developing integrated content to migrate across platforms it became crucial that we augment our corporate structure," said Jordan Levin, the company’s CEO. "Generate’s success will be driven by a deeply experienced, entrepreneurial senior management team, and adding seasoned entertainment and media executives like Chris and Tim to help support accomplished producers and industry leaders like Pete and Michael are important landmarks as we grow into a larger company."

Gwiazda, who will lead Generate’s finance and accounting operations, is a veteran of HBO, where he held numerous positions in finance and analysis, including VP across sales, domestic and international distribution and original programming. Stephen was most recently counsel at Cartoon Network, where he was primarily involved in establishing the network’s live-action series and movie business. Previously he was director of business and legal affairs at Lionsgate Television, working in both network and cable television.

At Generate Studios, Aronson will spearhead development of multiplatform content, including that developed under Generate’s exclusive multi-year television development and production deal with Twentieth Century Fox Television signed last month. Aronson previously served as president of Regency Television and, before that, was executive VP of Walt Disney Television and Touchstone Television. 

Petok manages all Generate productions of projects across platforms as well as outside production services. He previously worked with Aronson on The Bernie Mac Show. Petok also supports Generate Management, Generate’s talent management division, which represents a range of screenwriters, producers, filmmakers, actors and comedians. Generate Management’s eight managers operate in both Los Angeles and New York.

"We had a successful 2008 and 2009 is off to a strong start with the Fox deal," commented Aronson. "With Michael’s extremely deep industry experience and award-winning vision, Generate Studios is going to keep developing great entertainment concepts for a range of media channels, supported by the diversity of the entire Generate team from production to management."