Action Newsletter Winter 2020

Page 1

Regal’s Corporate Magazine Regal’s Corporate Magazine


CONTENTS

WHAT’S NEW!

3–14

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE 2

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COMMUNITY

20-26

IN MEMORIAM

15-19

27-28


WHAT’S NEW!

REGAL UNLIMITED ROAD TRIP

YORBA LINDA GRAND OPENING

ACTION STAFF Patrick Garlock, Publisher Promotions Manager - Marketing

Chris Newman

Loyalty Campaign Coordinator

Gina Van Dyke

Loyalty Marketing Coordinator

Hannah Whitson

Public Relations Coordinator

Hoz Fierro

Loyalty Rewards Coordinator

Jeff Michaels

Social Media Manager

Jenna Giorgi

Public Relations Intern

Jon Jennings

Graphic Designer

Kelly Hawkins Morgan Grimes Nathan Miranda Richard Grover YORBA LINDA GRAND OPENING

Rodney Griffin

VP Loyalty Marketing & Insights Regional HR Manager Content Marketing Coordinator VP Marketing & Communications Creative Director

Winter 2020

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REGAL UNLIMITED

UNLIMITED MOVIES HAVE ARRIVED By: Hannah Whitson, Jenna Giorgi, Hoz Fierro, Kelly Hawkins & Patrick Garlock

Last July, when the Regal Unlimited paid-subscription plan launched, it was—and remains—a top-priority vehicle for reaching new audiences, expanding their exposure to movies presented by Regal, the best place to watch a movie! Regal Unlimited allows subscribers to see as many movies as they want, whenever and wherever they want. The program’s debut was one of the strongest initiatives since the Regal Crown Club re-launch, mobile app for iOS/Android and Augmented Reality offerings, a collaborative effort across the organization and globally. That ingenuity resulted in the perfect pass for movie lovers nationwide. Fans and media alike responded enthusiastically to the presentation of Regal Unlimited with several outstanding reviews. Moreover, since its bow, Unlimited members have used their passes over 2.5 million times. After months of preparation, the Regal Unlimited development process was crowded with numerous stakeholder meetings, having gathered input from around the world. The first step was to determine the exact “look” of Regal’s version of the pass. Next, several business units

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within Regal’s Information Technology Department were tasked to create an outline of the customer experience and then develop a pass test version showcasing features to be utilized and produced for guest distribution. The final stage was stringent analyzing to find and fix any potential bugs. Over 200 testers from Marketing and Operations along with Regional Directors and many theatre General Managers were given assessment versions of Regal Unlimited to uncover issues, provide feedback and offer suggestions for the its in-theatre creative announcement slated to promote the program. “I am proud that both Regal and Cineworld came together to make this new venture happen,” said Kelly Hawkins, VP of Loyalty & Insights. “It offers great value at box office and concessions and genuine enticement for loyal guests to attend movies at Regal, the best place to watch a movie.” Since its launch, Regal has continued to develop new and exciting ways to offer incentives for our guests to join the program. One such feature is the addition of a distinctive


REGAL UNLIMITED

conduit. By purchasing a Regal Unlimited Subscription Gift Card, a guest can purchase one full year of the program for a loved one with the express option of choosing the plan that best fits the subscriber’s moviegoing habits. Thus, in January 2020, the Friends & Family feature was announced. This service allows Regal Unlimited members to book their seats along with friends who also subscribe to an Unlimited account. By simply adding one another to the “Friends” list, members can acquire their and a friend’s ticket at the same time, one of the predominant requests the company has received since launching Regal Unlimited.

“One of the most important aspects of the moviegoing experience is the social component,” said Hawkins. “By integrating the Friends & Family feature, we want our customers to easily be able to enjoy their favorite films together. There are many more options on the horizon to make the Regal Unlimited program an undeniable attraction for guests, including the capability to gift the program within the app plus additional benefits for those who renew their subscriptions.

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THEATRE OPENINGS REGAL MISSION MARKETPLACE RPX November 21, 2019 • Oceanside, California Danielle Rubin, GM

The unveiling of Mission Marketplace RPX #1470 went very well. For the first week, movies were only $3.99 along with half-priced popcorn and fountain drinks. That really brought in guests and we were close to capacity every day. We welcomed over 25,000 people that first week and local schools vacated for Thanksgiving break contributed to the impressive attendance figure, which combined with the debut of the blockbuster film Frozen 2, truly made our opening a success. Regal guests could not stop talking about how beautiful the theatre is and how excited they are to have the venue finally open. Launching a new site is physically and emotionally exhausting; a lot of back and forth and twists and turns are involved. Some things worked out and some didn’t. For instance, we could not get our elevator inspected prior to opening, so not only were we unable to get our safe into the count room upstairs, but we were unable to open our RPX auditorium since the handicap seats are at the top and, without an elevator, there is no way to offer wheelchair access. Hiring and training was one of the things that, thankfully, went very efficiently. We were able to reach our target number of hires and even hired a handful of staff early, having them train at other locations. We trained at the theatre the week before the launch, but the real training for staff was accomplished that first week we opened. I am so proud of my team because they did an awesome job and made it through; despite it being the first time almost all of them had ever worked at a theatre, they really pulled it together and showed our guests why Regal is “the best place to watch a movie.” I have to say that putting the time and energy into getting the building ready and then going right to it being an incredibly busy opening week when I had little rest was very challenging. I never would have gotten through it without my LA-4 family and District Manager Paul Orth. Nicki Solomito, my Operations Lead (and hero), worked so hard, as well as my Commission Lead Melony Gonzalez. General Managers from the district came to help get us ready to open and to help with opening week itself. Going through all of this was worth it because it showed me what an awesome support network I have here at LA-4 and I can’t tell you enough how grateful I am for it!

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THEATRE OPENINGS

REGAL MISSION MARKETPLACE RPX

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THEATRE OPENINGS REGAL YORBA LINDA & IMAX October 17, 2019 • Yorba Linda, California Kenneth Davis, GM

Opening a new theatre is not without its challenges, yet it is also one of the most rewarding experiences. After being selected to manage the new Regal Yorba Linda & IMAX, District Manager Ian Anselmo and I sat down to discuss the new theatre opening process. Regal had just finalized a new theatre opening procedure and Yorba Linda was going to be the theatre to launch it. Hearing terms like “Operations Lead.” “Commissioning Lead” and “COP” were new to both Ian and me but we had an amazing Project Manager, Shauna Muffett, guiding us along the way. Koll Bolitho was selected as our Operations Lead and he was of tremendous help in getting the theatre opened. We hired the right leadership team and then set up interviews and a hiring fair to help hire the best team to make the Regal Yorba Linda & IMAX the best place to watch a movie. The Hiring Fair was a success with help from local managers in finding the right mix for our team. We continued with the paperwork days, the orientation days and the first few days of training held at the event space. Finally, the day came to unveil the new Regal look to our team and as we let them in the doors for their safety training, we could see their excitement. Jason Stillwagner had been selected as our Commissioning Lead and began to work with our team to set up all behind-the-scenes items. We spent the next 10 days setting up, training our new staff and making sure that we were ready for opening day. Opening day had arrived and we were ready—the theatre looked immaculate, the staff was alert, the Coke was flowing, and the smell of freshly popped corn wafted throughout the lobby. The only thing missing was the occupancy permit to allow us to open our doors. With only 15 minutes until first show, the inspector signed off and we opened to our first guests. The long hours and little sleep had paid off and we were finally established. Guests were walking in the front doors with cameras out, taking videos of the new look and feel. People were amazed at the setup and colors of the lobby; they were asking questions about the theatre and looking around excitedly. Many guests expressed their enthusiasm about the look of the theatre and their appreciation of having a new hometown location!

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REGAL YORBA LINDA & IMAX

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SHORT FILM SHOWDOWN

THE SHOWDOWN CONTINUES Launched in 2015, the Regal Short Film Showdown is an annual competition encouraging our Regal team members to create their own 3-to-5-minute short film in just 30 days for their chance to triumph as winner of the competition and attendee at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. Each year, team members from Regal theatres countrywide sign up for the competition and await the required three secret elements launched on July 1: a prop, a line of dialogue, and an action must be included in each of the films. In 2019, the secret elements were a marshmallow “I’ll see you later,” and a finger snap. Once the elements are revealed, we officially begin counting down the 30 days during which the

CALL FOR ENTRIES

show us what you can do!

directors write, film and edit their personal short films. Once submitted, a panel of Regal HQ judges views each film and grades all submissions on aspects such as creativity, originality and technicality, reducing the competition to the Top 6. The judges come from various departments in our corporate office and once they have determined the Top 6, those films are forwarded to all Regal team members who then vote for the Top 3. Victoriously, each director of a Top 3 film joins Regal contingent at CinemaCon in Las Vegas! In 2019, over 70 submissions to the competition were received, and we trust that in future years we will continue to see growth in participation of our illustrious Regal Short Film Showdown.

TO ENTER: Email regalshortfilmshowdown@regalcinemas.com by June 14, 2019. KICKOFF: July 1, 2019. Thirty days to write, shoot and edit a 3-5 minute short film. SUBMISSIONS DUE: July 30, 2019 11:59 pm. GRAND AWARD: A trip to 2020 CinemaCon in Las Vegas as a Regal Representative, and your film being shown at a Regal Red Carpet Event. Total number of finalists subject to overall number of participants. DETAILS & QUESTIONS: Email regalshortfilmshowdown@regalcinemas.com

MILLION DOLLAR HOME

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#RegalLife

MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY


SHORT FILM SHOWDOWN

GHOST STORIES

IN THE GRAY

Noah Morgan, Team Lead

Dan Marino, Floor Staff

Regal Atlantic Station

Regal Cross Keys

Noah Morgan (23, left), born and raised in Albany, GA, moved to Atlanta alongside his brother Levi (22, right) in pursuit of their dreams of film careers. Over the years, the two have produced countless skits and shorts, including another short film Okay Google, which has made its way around the Atlanta short-film circuit and gained over 800,000 views on YouTube. In Regal’s Short Film Showdown last year, the pair won an award for Best Supporting Actor with their short film Gods Plan. This year, their short film Ghost Stories made it into the Top 6 of all submitted short films. The pair continue to create short films as they strive to make their first feature-length film.

Dan Marino, Director of In the Gray, is thrilled be a Top 6 finalist this year. This is his first time as a finalist though no stranger to Short Film Showdown, having participated several times during his tenure at Regal Cross Keys. Dan appreciates the opportunity and motivation the Showdown offers–making his own films. This year, scheduling was the biggest filmmaking obstacle Dan faced. In addition to his position at Regal, Dan also works as a freelance production assistant in the Philadelphia area, concentrating on commercial work as well as upcoming programs for AMC, HBO and Netflix. He was excited to be able to gather his team together and finish filming in one day. Dan’s favorite movie is The Dark Knight.

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SHORT FILM SHOWDOWN

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MAXIMUM CAPACITY

MILLION DOLLAR HOME

Jacob Heflin, Assistant Manager

Damien Barriga, Server

Regal Issaquah Highlands IMAX & RPX

Regal Edwards Cerritos

Jacob Heflin directed the film Maximum Capacity. Jacob returns to Short Film Showdown after making it into 2018’s Top 3 for his film Left Hanging. After going to Las Vegas last year, he decided to compete once again in Short Film Showdown to see if he can repeat history. Jacob notes that the toughest part about making the film was working around the crew’s busy schedules. However, they managed to get through and complete the film on time, saying that getting the band together and acting in front of the camera to bring the script to life is the best part. Jacob always has been interested in making films. “I still hold a dream of trying to make it into the film industry and this is certainly an opportunity to take advantage of.”

Damien Barriga is no stranger to the Short Film Showdown, having been a Top 3 finalist for the 2017 and 2018 competitions for his previous films Supernormal and Rewind! This year he wanted to explore new techniques for his film Million Dollar Home. Damien brought on several of the same actors and crew from the previous films but wanted to explore new drone-shot techniques and different lighting styles. They hit a couple of bumps along the way but overall are proud with how their film turned out as it has landed them into the Top 6 once again.

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SHORT FILM SHOWDOWN

SURE ODDS

THE TALE OF DR. MARSH MALLOW

Tim Kinner, Assistant Manager

Dalton Felean, Deputy GM

Regal Webster Place

Regal Hudson Cinema

Tim Kinner, Director of Sure Odds, has worked in the movie exhibition industry for 17 years and has been with Regal for nine of those years. He notes his favorite movies as Sherlock Jr., 12 Angry Men, and Lady Vengeance. His submission, Sure Odds, marks his third entry in the Short Film Showdown and his second appearance in the Top 6, reuniting him with his usual short-film collaborators (and fellow employees) Nate and Gil.

It came as a total surprise to Dalton Felean when he learned his film was accepted into the 2019 Regal Short Film Showdown’s Top 6. He has been in the theatre business for over a decade, and he and his crew have submitted a film since Short Film Showdown began! Dalton commented, “Although we always came up short, we never gave up!” He has dreamed of making a feature film; his love for cinema comes from his mom who showed him her favorites directed by professionals like Wes Craven, Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock. He claims his favorite director is Sam Rami adding. “His campy style mixes humor and spookiness in such a unique way.” He adds, “Creating The Tale of Dr. Marsh Mallow took a lot of work. I was lucky to have such a great group of friends who took their personal time to help create it! We had a blast putting it together, but not so much cleaning it up.” Dalton thoroughly enjoyed the entire process of this production but noted that it’s not until you “sit down and piece together your work that you truly see the magic of moviemaking!”

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REGAL REEL

Check It Out Here!

REGAL DEBUTS NEW BLOG By: Nathan Miranda Regal now offers fans a home for long-form content via Regal Reel, a movie blog featured on the menu bar across the top of regmovies.com. Regal Reel hosts more than 200 entertaining and educational features, lists, quizzes, guides, and much more. Meant to replace and expand upon the outof-print Regal Cinema Art Film Guide, the blog also includes content on select cinema art movies and exclusive Q&As.

Trivia Quiz - Best Picture Winners

Did you know that only three animated movies ever have received Oscar® nominations for Best Picture? Toy Story 3 and Up make the list, but can you name the third? Take Regal Reel’s weekly trivia quizzes and test your knowledge of Best Picture winners, horror movies, and other nifty tidbits. And be sure to cast your vote in one of our movie brackets like the upcoming competition to determine the Greatest James Bond Movie of All Time. If you’re looking for explanations and guides to your favorite movies, you’ll enjoy articles like “Who Is Harley Quinn? Margot Robbie’s DC Character Origins Explained” and “Vulture’s Role in Morbius: Everything We Know.”

Black Widow Super Bowl Trailer Breakdown & Story Reveals

All 28 Upcoming & In-development DC Movies

Regal Reel regularly publishes lists that rank top movies, memorable moments, quotes, and more. The “Top 10 Tom Cruise Movies” will be ranked in June 2020 to coincide with the release of Top Gun: Maverick. Further, as captioned above, you’ll find compilations like “All 28 Upcoming & Indevelopment DC Movies.”

Packed with character introductions, plot details and hidden meanings, movie trailers provide much to discuss and dissect, which is why Regal Reel provides trailer breakdowns and story reveals from movies like Black Widow and No Time to Die. Regal Reel is proud to have partnered with Screen Rant, one of the largest and most-respected entertainment-news sources in the world. Content from Screen Rant’s team of passionate cinephiles, gamers and comic book readers are syndicated weekly on Regal Reel, engaging both casual movie lovers and hardcore movie buffs. With such a wealth of highly anticipated movies and stars coming to Regal theatres in 2020, there’s no better time to check out what Regal Reel has to offer!

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COMMUNITY

DIVERSITY POTLUCK DINNER CONTEST

VARIETY EVENT: MIDWAY SCREENING

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB

GARY SINESE FOUNDATION

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DIVERSITY COUNCIL CELEBRATING DIVERSITY By: Morgan Grimes The goal of the Diversity Council is to protect, respect and embrace the diversity in our company. Following the motto “the beauty of the world lies in the diversity of our people,” Regal embraces diversity and hosts multiple programs throughout the year to showcase the wide range of cultures each theatre represents. The Council continuously looks for ways to emphasize the amazing cultures that come together in Regal workplaces; we believe that our theatres are the perfect venues for celebrating multiple cultures, bringing everyone together in mutual respect. Through such a goal, our company is enriched every day, and each unique story enhances Regal’s standing as “the best place to watch a movie.” Earlier this year, our annual Diversity Potluck Dinner Contest was held, and our theatre locations did not hold back. The purpose of the contest was to see which teams could best display their theatres’ multiple cultures through unique foods, decorations and people. A total of 36 winning theatres won a $250 Visa gift card for use in updating their staff break rooms!

DIVERSITY POTLUCK DINNER CONTEST

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REGAL FOUNDATION COMMUNITY IMPACT By: Jenna Giorgi & Hannah Whitson Regal Foundation continues to impact communities across the U.S. thanks to the fundraising efforts of our Regal theatres during the Stars of Hope and Holiday Round Up campaigns. In the third and fourth quarters of 2019, Regal Foundation approved grants that will aid approximately 100 organizations. Regal Foundation focuses on providing support to charities that serve four core categories: children/families, education, health and military. In a recent presentation, District Manager Karen Whited and the staff at Regal Northwoods in San Antonio, TX enjoyed the opportunity to present a $25,000 check to Operation Homefront, a national organization and partner of Regal Foundation that supports military families. Regal Foundation looks forward to continuing to make an impact because of the amazing support of Regal employees and our loyal moviegoers!

REGAL FOUNDATION TAILGATE

OPERATION HOMEFRONT

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VETERAN’S DAY CELEBRATING SERVICE By: Morgan Grimes Regal is grateful for the service to our country of our active-duty military and veteran employees, as well as their contributions to our business. To recognize their service, programs are sponsored each year to recognize our veterans and their stories. This year, we partnered with Lionsgate in a promotion for the film Midway. The movie tells the story of how U.S. soldiers and pilots changed the course of World War II during the battle of Midway in June 1942. Through the Lionsgate/Regal partnership, our veterans were encouraged to tell us their stories through a short video that would be shared with Regal team members everywhere. We also extend a “thank you” to our military personnel by giving them Veterans Day off with pay and providing them a special Veterans Day lapel pin. Further, Regal donates one dollar for every large popcorn sold in our theatres on Veterans Day to the Gary Sinise Foundation, a venerable charitable organization that aims to “serve our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families and those in need.” Since 2016 Regal has been able to donate over $270,000 to that foundation through our substantial popcorn sales on Veterans Day.

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VARIETY EVENT annual charity event. Previous celebrity attendees include Tom Cruise, Channing Tatum, Jack Black, Hugh Jackman, Dwayne Johnson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. This is the 17th year Regal has hosted the occasion and has raised over $11 million for Variety. “They raised $10 million, over $10 million, and . . . it says a lot about a community too that everybody pitches in and helps everyone else,” Quaid stated in a local-paper interview. “Families really need a lot of help, and it’s kids, you know. We’ve all got to take care of our kids.” In 2001, Variety’s Eastern Chapter was founded as a unit of the national Variety–the Children’s Charity and its mission is to help benefit at-risk, physically challenged, abused and neglected children in the Tennessee area. Sincere thanks to all who participated in making this year’s premiere another success.

RED CARPET FUNDRAISER By: Chris Newman On a cool, late-October evening, veteran-actor Dennis Quaid strolled the red carpet at Regal Pinnacle ScreenX, 4DX, IMAX & RPX in Knoxville, TN for the special benefit screening of his latest movie Midway from director Roland Emmerich. The event raised over $430,000 for Variety–The Children’s Charity of Eastern Tennessee. The star took his time touring the building exterior, signing autographs, and taking selfies with fans in attendance to support the charity and be one of the first to see Quaid in the World War II action-drama. In the film, he plays William “Bull” Halsey, along with an all-star cast, in the story recounting the Battle of Midway, a crucial fight in the Pacific Theater during that WW2 conflict. “This was an honor to do this movie, it really was. It’s a thrill because it’s Roland Emmerich, who did Independence Day,” Quaid informed Regal on the red carpet. Later, he addressed the crowd and thanked everyone, especially the veterans, saying Midway is a movie for them. Beginning in 2002 when Regal West Town Mall welcomed Academy Award-winner Cuba Gooding Jr. and his film Radio, Regal has saluted many Hollywood superstars during the

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE By: Patrick Garlock

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OPERATIONS

JOHN LIVIGNI Director of Operations - Houston Region Working in the same industry for 24 years can allow a person a first-hand view of its evolution, and that is certainly the case for John Livigni. “I personally have been fortunate enough to be part of such major changes—from sloped to stadium, 35mm to digital, standard seating to recliners and, now, Xenon to laser,” he said. “All of it has been exciting and I’m just glad to be part of an industry that doesn’t stagnate.” John began his experience in the movie-theatre world when he was 16 and his mom decided it was time for him to get a job since the football season had ended. That weekend they were at the local theatre owned by a company called Boston Concessions (which would be purchased by Regal the next year) for a movie. The next thing John knew, his mother was talking to the manager, telling him how much her son loves movies and needs a job. This quickly led to John getting an interview and starting work the next weekend. Ever since, John has always had a job at a movie theatre. John said that he takes great pride in being able to say that during his tenure in the field he has worked nearly every field operations position while advancing his career, going through Usher all the way to Director of Operations. As John and his wife have two young daughters, most of their free time is spent with the girls, which works well for him because all of them are diehard Disney fans. In addition, John enjoys watching almost any sport, getting on Xbox Live or watching drumming videos on YouTube.

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OPERATIONS

ASHLEY BIRKETT

BOBBY FIANDRA

District Manager - NY-4

District Manager - NY-8

Ashley Birkett started her career in the theatre industry in a part-time job with the small, family-owned chain Entertainment Cinemas in the area near her hometown of Somerset, MA.

One of the benefits of working for a company the size of Regal is being able to work across the country, an experience to which Bobby Fiandra is already accustomed.

Ashley continued working there through the Regal acquisition of that company in May 2004. She remained in the Massachusetts area until 2009 when she moved to Los Angeles to help open Regal LA Live, which premiered the film 2012. “It was an eye-opening experience for me,” she said, “and I was able to learn a lot about the industry.” While in Massachusetts, Ashley attended Bristol Community College where she obtained an Associate Degree in Health and Human Services. When away from work, Ashley noted that she enjoys being outdoors any way she can, whether that is hiking, biking, camping or any other kind of related activity.

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Born in Las Vegas, Bobby grew up in Marlboro, NJ. He noted that his life-long love of movies began in 1990 when he first saw Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It was also in Marlboro that he started his career in the movie exhibition business when he took a job in 2004 at his local theatre, the Regal Marlboro Cinema 8. While with Regal, making his way up the company ladder, Bobby has been able to travel the country and work along with tremendous colleagues, which he noted as his favorite experiences so far. When not at work, Bobby enjoys spending time with his wife, dog, family and friends.


OPERATIONS

DANIEL ALLERMAN

HAUSHAAM KHAN

District Manager - SE-5

District Manager - HN - 2

Sometimes, a little misguidance actually can be a good thing; such was the case for Daniel Alleman. While driving past the Regal Alderwood & RPX outside of Seattle, WA, Daniel said he “told a friend ‘I want to work somewhere I could get good benefits.’ I pointed at the theatre and continued: ‘like there – free movies!’ I laugh now because that was the most important thing to my teenage self. I applied for a job at that theatre—and the rest is history.”

November is a significant month for Haushaam Khan. While seeing The Departed in November of 2006, he noticed the “Now Hiring” sign in the lobby of the Regal Kingstowne in Alexandria, VA that would propel his career path. He would receive his first General Manager appointment in November of 2012 at the Regal Hyattsville through his last GM appointment to the Regal Grand Parkway in November 2017, and then his District Manager appointment in November 2019. During his time as a GM, Haushaam also managed the Rockville 13, Bowie 14 and Laurel 12.

Daniel started with Regal in May of 2002 and since then has worked at over 10 different Regal locations in a wide variety of positions from Floor Staff to General manager, and now District Manager. During his time with the company, he helped open the Regal Issaquah Highlands IMAX & RPX. “Creating and building up an operation from its inception was very challenging and satisfying,” he said. As Daniel transitions to his new position in the company, he notes that the most common question he’s received is what he’s going to do with his season tickets to the Seattle Seahawks. His response: “I am keeping them!”

Haushaam originally began his professional career in his native Pakistan as an accounting-firm auditor before moving to the United States where he managed a gas station and did their accounting. Even while working as a manager for Regal, he also worked for Wells Fargo as a Lead Teller before deciding to focus entirely on the theatre business. Since it was the film he saw just before starting his career, it makes perfect sense that Haushaam noted The Departed as one of his favorite movies; he also included Desperado and American Gangster.

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OPERATIONS

MELISSA JONES

RYLAND SPICER

District Manager - NY-7

District Manager - HN - 5

It was a bit of serendipity that led to the professional career of Melissa Jones, while reading a ‘Now Hiring’ sign at the local Hoyts Manassas 14, waiting in line to purchase tickets. Melissa noted that it was her third time visiting the theatre that week when she was approached by the manager who asked if she wanted to interview immediately. Melissa did and was soon working as a Concessionist at that location.

In over 20 years of experience with Regal, Ryland Spicer has held several positions across many theatres. But he still remembers his first position as an Assistant Manager at Regal Cyprus Creek in Fort Lauderdale, FL when he would help with onsite promotions, as holding his favorite theatre memory.

That Concessions experience also led to her favorite moment in the industry so far when actor Robert Duvall visited her location. As this was somewhat recently after the release of Gone in 60 Seconds, many people yelled out their love of the movie, which Mr. Duvall didn’t overly acknowledge. Melissa, however, was able to cut through the noise. “He smiled and came immediately to my Concessions line after I told him how much I loved To Kill a Mockingbird.” Following Regal’s acquisition of Hoyts Cinemas in 2003, Melissa remained at the location while working on her degree from George Mason University. Eventually, she would have the chance to be General Manager of the (now) Regal Manassas and would become Manager at both Regal Fredericksburg and Regal Virginia Gateway. Melissa still resides in the Northern Virginia area along with her husband and four-year-old son.

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“I really enjoyed putting together lobby-filling movie displays,” he said. “I think my best display was covering all the pillars and walls to turn the entire lobby into the Grinch cave (for the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas) complete with a fake snow machine sprinkling people as they walked past the ticket-taker.” In his spare time, Ryland, along with his wife and twoyear-old daughter, enjoys traveling, reading and, of course, watching movies. He couldn’t name just one movie as his favorite. “The list changes, depending on when you ask me,” he said. “I will say that I might have watched Jaws more than any other film.”


CORPORATE ROBBIE ARRINGTON Vice President of CBO To say that Robbie Arrington’s career has been slightly entwined with the movie industry would be a bit of an understatement. At the age of 9, after being introduced to his hometown theatre in Asheville, NC owned by Roth Theatres, the location quickly became a second residence to Robbie and he learned everything he could about what it takes to work at a movie theatre. “I didn’t know it would be my first job,” Robbie said. “I just knew it was where popcorn lived. I loved popcorn and I was happy when I was there.” Taking a job at the same theatre just before turning 16, Robbie quickly rose through the ranks, becoming an assistant manager before moving to the newly opened Georgia Theatre Company’s Hollywood 14. Six months after opening, that company was purchased by Regal and Robbie made the move to Florida to become a General Manager. Over the next six years, he held several Florida-based GM positions in Miami, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale and finally Coral Springs before taking a position in Regal’s Marketing Department in 1999. Except for the Creative Services Team, during his 20 years at Corporate, Robbie has worked in every division within the marketing department before his current move to the role of Vice President of Corporate Box Office, where he oversees Group Sales/Events, Church Sales, Film Festivals and Gift Cards/Premiere Tickets Sales. Robbie and Travis, his partner of 17 years, stay busy most weekends with dinner and movies in the downtown Knoxville area. They are proud dog parents to two Yorkies—and Robbie also wanted to make sure to put in a plug for their Instagram page (Instagram.com/baoandmio).

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CORPORATE

JEFF MILLER

LAURA POTTS

Director of Digital Products

Director of Media Strategy

Jeff Miller is fairly new to the world of theatre exhibition, having started with Regal in the Fall of 2018, but he has been quick to apply his passion of software development to significantly help the company.

Although Laura Potts may not have a long history in the movie theatre business, her experience in the world of social media made her an ideal candidate for Director of Media Strategy in Regal’s Marketing Department.

Initially starting as Product Manager for the Regal Mobile App, Jeff now oversees both the mobile and web properties as Director of Digital Products.

Since graduating from King University with a Bachelor’s Degree in communication, Laura has served as Social Media Manager for organizations such as PetSafe, Clayton Homes, Jewelry Television and the National Wildlife Federation before taking the same position at Regal.

Prior to Regal, Jeff was employed as Product Manager/ Product Owner for over 15 years, working for a healthcare IT analytics company and Clayton Homes in manufacturing IT. A Knoxville native, Jeff recently was married to his wife Kristi; the two of them have a dog, Roxy, a Brittany Spaniel that Jeff says, “has enough energy to power a small city.” In his spare time, Jeff combines his love of University of Tennessee athletics with his love of the lake as he has begun attending Vol Navy, which is a group of boats that tailgate in the Tennessee River outside of Neyland Stadium prior to home football games.

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The job with the National Wildlife Federation also underlines Laura’s love of the outdoors. She said that in her spare time she loves exploring nature with her hound dog George. She also enjoys studying political science, presidential history and reading. Of course, Laura loves movies as well. She quickly cited Forrest Gump as her all-time favorite flick. “It’s got everything,” she said, “a moving story, great acting, a killer soundtrack, memorable quotes, a bit of action, romance, laughter, tears – can’t ask for more than that!”


IN MEMORIAM

Winter 2020 27


IN MEMORIAM

REMEMBERING OUR CAST & CREW Calvin Burwell Floor Staff Regal Harrisburg Harrisburg, PA

Jesse Campbell Floor Staff Regal Old Mill & IMAX Bend, OR

Dayne Hawkins Assistant Manager Regal Winter Park Village & RPX Winter Park, Florida

Charlotte Jackson Floor Staff Regal Atlantic Station IMAX & RPX Atlanta, GA

Dominick Sublett Eatery Staff Regal Warren West & IMAX Wichita, KS

David Ricks Floor Staff Regal Winter Park Village & RPX Winter Park, Florida

Reginald Blanchard Floor Staff Regal Hyattsville Royale Hyattsville, MD

Michael Carpenter Regal Largo Mall Largo, FL

Adriana Morales Regal River Point & RPX Sheridan, Colorado

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