M+E Connections

By Chris Tribbey

Leon Silverman, president of the Hollywood Professional Alliance (HPA), is stepping down from his position, with Seth Hallen, HPA board member and SVP of global creative services at Sony DADC New Media Solutions, taking over the role.

The announcement was made by Silverman during his opening speech at the Feb. 17 HPA Tech Retreat in Indian Wells, Calif. Hallen has been an HPA board member since 2007 and was elevated to his new role by the HPA board. Silverman will continue to serve on the HPA board of directors in the newly created role of past president.

“The HPA is a unique and important place where creative talent, technical talent, and companies join forces to learn and share as they expand their perspectives and shape our industry,” Hallen said in a statement. “It is a distinct honor to continue the important work that Leon has undertaken for this organization, and I am clearly dedicated to making the next phase of HPA a great one.

“Enabling our industry to evolve by fueling our community with ideas, opportunity and recognition remains our goal. I look forward to working with our incredibly talented and dedicated board and continuing our collaboration with our colleagues at SMPTE [the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers], and the staff, volunteers and community that are the heart and soul of HPA, as we build upon the work of the past 14 years and look toward the future.”

Silverman was mainly responsible for the creation of the then-Hollywood Post Alliance in 2002, gathering a coalition of post production executives to form a trade association that provided a voice for the post community. The group changed its name to the Hollywood Professional Alliance in 2015, and later that year announced an alliance with SMPTE.

“It has been a true honor to work together with so many colleagues within our phenomenal community, especially during these exciting times of industry transition and expansion,” said Silverman, who was awarded the HPA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in November. “With the stability of our organization, especially now that we are part of SMPTE and with the strength of our newly expanded and reinvigorated board, it is a terrific time to pass the baton to the next generation of capable and committed leadership.

He called Hallen “a passionate leader with the focus and vision for the future that is needed to continue the growth of the HPA.”

“Equally important, he is a wonderful friend, and a great team builder,” Silverman said. “I am proud to be working with Seth and the broadened HPA board as we head towards a future in which our HPA mission and message is increasingly relevant.”

Also Feb. 17, HPA announced that newly elected HPA board member Bill Roberts, CFO of Panavision, will take over the role of treasurer, with Phil Squyres leaving the role, which he’s held since HPA’s founding. Squyres will remain on the HPA board. New board members include Craig German, SVP of studio post at NBC Universal, Jenni McCormick, executive director of American Cinema Editors (ACE); and Chuck Parker, CEO of Sohonet. They join Mark Chiolis, Carolyn Giardina, Vincent Maza, Kathleen Milnes, Loren Nielsen, and VP Jerry Pierce on the HPA board.

Additionally, Wendy Aylsworth, former president of SMPTE, was named been appointed as SMPTE representative on the HPA board.