Cinemark Founder Lee Roy Mitchell Retires From Theater Giant’s Board of Directors, Son Succeeds Him

One of the world’s largest and most influential movie theater companies, Cinemark said that Lee Roy Mitchell served on the board since its inception nearly 40 years ago and transitioned from executive chairman to member of the board in 2022. His son Kevin Mitchell succeeds him on the board.

Plano-based movie theater giant Cinemark Holdings announced that founder Lee Roy Mitchell has stepped down from its board of directors after nearly 40 years at the company, with son Kevin Mitchell succeeding him.

One of the world’s largest and most influential movie theater companies, Cinemark said that Mitchell served on the board since its inception and transitioned from executive chairman to member of the Board in 2022.

Mitchell and his wife, Tandy, founded Cinemark in 1984 and grew it to a global company with nearly 6,000 screens across 16 countries. Their son, Kevin Mitchell, 54, succeeds Lee Roy as a Mitchell Investors Board designee.

“Tandy and I founded Cinemark nearly 40 years ago and could not be more proud of the company it is today. Our strategic vision was to build a leading global cinema circuit, and I am humbled to have worked alongside such an incredible leadership team and board to execute upon that vision,” Lee Roy Mitchell said in a statement. “Kevin is a natural successor given his considerable industry knowledge and experience gleaned over the past three decades. I am confident that Cinemark will continue to lead the industry and succeed in progressing their strategic priorities under the strong leadership of the management team and Board.”

Lee Roy Mitchell served as Cinemark’s CEO until 2006 and then transitioned to executive chairman, a position he held until 2022. Over the years, Lee Roy’s entrepreneurial spirit and drive for innovation not only benefited Cinemark but had a significant impact on the entire exhibition industry. This impact was further supplemented by the meaningful contributions made while serving on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) for 20 years.

Cinemark operates more than 500 theaters in the Americas

Kevin Mitchell brings over 35 years of experience in the motion picture industry to the Cinemark board. He founded and served as CEO of ShowBiz Cinemas, a bowling, movies and more concept with operations in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and Wyoming, prior to selling his interest in the company in December 2021.

Kevin Mitchell has also served on multiple boards, including former chairman of the board for Variety the Children’s Charity of Texas, as an advisory board member for National Association of Theatre Owners and Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, as well as a board member for Chuck Norris’ Kickstart Kids.

“Lee Roy has been highly influential over the years, not only on Cinemark, but the entire exhibition industry,” Chairman Carlos Sepulveda said in a statement. “His entrepreneurial spirit, fervor for theatrical moviegoing, and passion for people have helped differentiate the company and guide its strategic direction.”

Cinemark is one of the largest and most influential movie theater companies in the world. Cinemark’s circuit, which is composed of various brands that include Century, Tinseltown and Rave, operates 517 theatres — 318 in the United States and 199 in South and Central America. It has 5,835 total screens with 4,392 in the U.S. and 1,443 in South and Central America.

It operates in 42 states domestically and 15 countries throughout South and Central America.

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