2009 PIONEERS OF THE YEAR
MARC SHMUGER AND DAVID LINDE
Co-Chairmen
Universal PicturesThe Pioneer of the Year dinner has been an industry tradition now for 69 years. The dinner raises money for the Motion Picture Pioneers Assistance Fund (MPPAF), which is a program of the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation (WRMPPF). The MPPAF has one mission — to take care of industry veterans in their times of need. It has provided assistance to thousands of individuals with respect, dignity and anonymity. It is the only charity in our industry that provides both short- and long-term assistance to lifelong veterans who are sick, elderly or disabled or who have encountered unfortunate circumstances. In 2009, MPPAF will spend an estimated $1 million providing assistance to those in need.
The dinner has always been the primary fund-raiser for the MPPAF, but having a lavish dinner in the face of difficult economic times seems like an inappropriate delegation of resources. However, the charity must still raise money to help our industry veterans. This year we will produce a tribute journal and ask tribute ad sponsors to contribute at approximately half the level a company or individual normally donates to place an ad or attend the dinner. All of the donations for the 2009 Pioneers of the Year journal will go directly to the Pioneers Assistance Fund, thus maximizing individual contributions.
The WRMPPF owes a tremendous thanks to our co-honorees this year, Marc Shmuger and David Linde. Not only do we have dual honorees, we also have two enormously celebrated individuals who are unparalleled in our industry for their professional and personal contributions. Marc and David have solidified the studio's reputation for presenting motion pictures of the highest quality and commercial potential to the world's audiences both in theaters and at home as digital entertainment. Under their shared leadership, Universal Pictures reached its all-time worldwide box-office record in 2007 and then surpassed that record again in 2008 with global receipts of $2.834 billion. We understand what a challenging year 2009 has been and we appreciate your support. With the increasing number of requests from those nearing retirement age, the MPPAF is committed to helping every person in need.
Fact Sheet
Past Pioneers
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