JOSEPH MASHER, COO FOR BOWTIE CINEMAS, NAMED PRESIDENT OF THE THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  PITTSBURGH, PA - 07/17/2017

Joseph Masher, chief operating officer of Bow Tie Cinemas and president of the National Association of Theatre Owners of New York (NATO) was named president of the Board of Directors of the Theatre Historical Society of America at its meeting in June.  He replaces Andrew (Craig) Morrison, AIA, who served several years as the head of the association and who remains as a member of the board.

Since the age of 11, Masher has been involved in the theatre industry, starting as a 35mm projectionist at a summer camp theatre.  His many achievements include opening and managing some of the busiest movie theatres in the country, including the Sony Lincoln Square and IMAX Theatre and Loews Kips Bay 15, both in Manhattan.

Joining Bow Tie Cinemas as general manager, Masher soon rose to the position of chief operating officer.  “Bow Tie Cinemas,” he notes, “specializes in bringing movie theatres back into downtown locations where there were none, and operating several historic properties,” including the Warner Theatre in Ridgewood, NJ; the Manhasset Theatre in Manhasset, NY; Bronxville Cinemas in Bronxville, NY; and the Millburn Theater in Millburn, NJ.

His involvement with National NATO includes his seat on the executive and advisory boards, as well as serving as a committee member with the government relations, political action, and audit committees. 

NATO of New York is a cinema exhibitor trade organization representing movie theatres across New York State, and serves as a watchdog to protect the interests of movie theatres and helps to influence state and city policy on issues affecting the industry in New York.  In addition, Masher is also a registered New York State lobbyist, serves as the vice president of the Connecticut Association of Theatre Owners, and is a member of the National Association of Concessionaires.

A member of the Theatre Historical Society of America since 2004, Masher hopes to steer the direction of the Theatre Historical Society to be more of a business, so that it can sustain itself on revenue.  He adds, “Our Theatre Affiliates Program is one way we are providing outreach to the exhibition community. It is our hope that they will, in turn, become affiliates of THS and provide us with historical information on their buildings. Once built, we will potentially guide that program to be a resource for vendors and suppliers.”

About The Theatre Historical Society of America:
Founded in 1969 as a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating the rich history of America’s historic theatres, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) exists today as a common ground for all who value the role of these historic structures in our architectural, cultural and social and history. Through preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive and our educational programming, including our flagship publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres. Visit THS online at historictheatres.org.

For more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please contact Donna McCoy, Membership & Communications Manager at 1-877-242-9637 ext. 305 or office@historictheatres.org.