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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Hollywood Group Hires Media Veteran

The Hollywood Professional Association has named industry veteran Phil Kubel as its director. In that role, Kubel will manage the day-to-day business of the Burbank trade association, as well as supporting strategic planning, membership development and program development. He was excited to join the association and looked forward to continuing its vision and developing it as a resource for production professionals, Kubel said. “We have a rare opportunity to use our accumulated knowledge and relationships to support industry growth by connecting the players and leading the conversation,” Kubel added in a statement, Kubel will work from the association’s Burbank office and report to Barbara Lange, the executive director. His experience creating and managing a range of content for a variety of outlets, combined with an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, make Kubel the perfect person to help the association grow, Lange said. “The HPA is a fast-paced environment and he will help us set the pace,” Lange added in a statement “We’re thrilled to have him on the team.” A graduate of USC with a bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies, Kubel worked in a number of production-related positions. Starting in 1997, he worked for more than 20 years for the Stronach Group, an entertainment and real estate company in Ontario, Canada that owns seven horserace tracks in the U.S., including Santa Anita Park in Arcadia. While at Stronach, Kubel was instrumental in starting HRTV, a national television network featuring equestrian and horse racing programming. The network is now known as TVG2 and is owned by Flutter Entertainment plc, in Dublin. Kubel also played a role in the design, engineering and building of the studios and broadcast facility at Santa Anita Park. He oversaw the daily operations of all digital media, production and technology initiative at HRTV, including creation of the subscription-based website HRTV.com. He also was president of post-production for the network. In 2015, Kubel was appointed vice president and executive producer for Stronach Digital in which he oversaw the launch of XBTV, a free online horse racing network that features live and video-on-demand coverage of thoroughbred races from tracks operated by Stronach Group. Starting in 2005, Kubel had owned and operated PK Productions as an executive producer and consultant on content creation strategy, marketing and development. Association President Seth Hallen welcomed Kubel to the management team and was thrilled to have him build relationships with its Los Angeles-based audience. “At this exciting new phase of the HPA, in events, membership and community engagement, we look forward to seeing the new perspective and ideas he will bring to the organization,” Hallen said in a statement. The Hollywood Professional Association represents the individuals and companies providing the creative and technical expertise, support and infrastructure for content creation, distribution and archiving. The group puts on two major events every year – its HPA Tech Retreat in Palm Springs, a gathering of thinkers and companies engaged in the creation, management and dissemination of content. Past participating companies from the Valley area include Walt Disney Co. and NBCUniversal. It also puts on an show to honor creative achievement and engineering excellence. This year it will take place Nov. 21 at the Skirball Cultural Center in the Sepulveda Pass.

Mark Madler
Mark Madler
Mark R. Madler covers aviation & aerospace, manufacturing, technology, automotive & transportation, media & entertainment and the Antelope Valley. He joined the company in February 2006. Madler previously worked as a reporter for the Burbank Leader. Before that, he was a reporter for the City News Bureau of Chicago and several daily newspapers in the suburban Chicago area. He has a bachelor’s of science degree in journalism from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

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