Todd Wagner
Encyclopedia
Todd R. Wagner co-founded Broadcast.com
and now co-owns 2929 Entertainment
with Mark Cuban
, along with other entertainment properties and has also founded the Todd Wagner Foundation.
joining Kappa Sigma
Fraternity Beta Theta Chapter. He later graduated in 1983. He earned a law degree from University Of Virginia
and then moved to Dallas, Texas
where he became a licensed CPA in the State of Texas, and began a legal career with the national firms Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld and Hopkins & Sutter
.
and the two launched AudioNet, broadcasting live sporting events and radio stations over the Internet, at first with only a Packard Bell 486 PC and a single ISDN line. As CEO, Wagner grew the company and expanded its services to include corporate events and business services. In 1998 Wagner and Cuban changed the name to Broadcast.com
and took the company public in the midst of the dot-com boom. The Broadcast.com IPO set an opening-day record, with shares climbing 249% from an offering price of $18 to a closing price of $62.75. In 1999, Wagner and Cuban sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo!
for $5.7 billion, making 300 employees millionaires and Wagner and Cuban instant billionaires. Wagner continued to lead the division as Yahoo! Broadcast until May 2000, when he declined an offer to become Yahoo!’s Chief Operating Officer to focus on other interests.
After meeting with Arnold Schwarzenegger
, Wagner in 2001 launched his Foundation’s first children’s program, the Dallas chapter of the After-School All-Stars (then called Inner-City Games), a national program championed by Schwarzenegger that provides year-round technology, academic, sports and cultural programs for children in the nation's inner cities. The Dallas After-School All-Stars now reaches more than 4,000 children with programs ranging from chess and art classes to golf, running clubs and math competitions.
Wagner also created a Minority Technology Fund that provides funding and resources to minority-owned, technology-focused businesses based in Dallas and has made investments in numerous companies including: Imaginuity Interactive, a Web site development firm; Abstract Concepts, developer of African-American communities Ebonymate.com and Dallasblack.com; and rocKnot, a software development firm.
Wagner has also developed the MIRACLES technology, education and life skills program, a groundbreaking initiative that provides a comprehensive after-school program for inner-city children. Structured, instructor-led and outcome-based, this unique program, built from the ground up and managed by Wagner and his team, is currently in its fifth year and is operating in nine cities across the country in conjunction with the national After-School All-Stars. The intense multi-year program begins in sixth grade and continues through high-school graduation. The Foundation recently made a substantial grant that unites the MIRACLES curriculum with The Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) technology program “Club Tech” to reach and help millions of kids nationwide.
The Foundation has also provided funding to bring the nationally recognized KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) charter school to Dallas in 2003 and to Wagner's hometown of Gary, Indiana in 2006. KIPP Truth Academy is a program through which students develop the knowledge, skills and character needed to succeed in top-quality high schools, colleges and the competitive world beyond.
Wagner’s philanthropic achievements have earned him several honors including the national First Star “Visionary Award” (2006), the Dallas CASA “Champion of Children” award (2005), the national “Kappa Sigma Man of the Year” award (2003), the Milton P. Levy Jr. Volunteer Award from Dallas' Special Care and Career Services (2008), an honor from the Urban League of Greater Dallas (2003), “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” from Dallas’ Center for Nonprofit Management (2002), and After-School All Stars’ “Man of the Year” (2000).
), and has impacted Hollywood through an innovative day-and-date film distribution strategy.
With a goal of bringing meaningful and inspirational stories to movie fans through 2929 Productions (the production division of 2929 Entertainment), Wagner has been instrumental in bringing films like Good Night, and Good Luck, Akeelah and the Bee
and The Road
to the big screen. He is currently developing his next passion project, The Chosen Few, a film about the landmark Korean War
battle. Good Night, directed by and co-starring George Clooney
, struck an important chord in the national debate over freedom of speech and was nominated for six Academy Awards
including Best Picture. Akeelah, starring Laurence Fishburne
, Angela Bassett
and rising star Keke Palmer
, is inspiring a generation of urban youth to dream big.
(released Enron and Oscar-nominated Capturing the Friedmans
); home video division Magnolia Home Entertainment; the Landmark Theatres
art-house chain; and high-definition cable channels HDNet
and HDNet Movies.
Wagner also has a stake in the Dallas Mavericks
, and he continues to invest in and nurture start-ups. He holds interests in Lions Gate Entertainment
, and The Weinstein Company
. Additionally, he is founder and co-chairman of Content Partners LLC, a company that invests in the back-end profit participations of Hollywood talent. Wagner also continues to invest in and nurture a variety of technology and media start-ups.
Additionally Wagner is serves on the American Film Institute
’s Board of Trustees.
Broadcast.com
Broadcast.com was a web radio company founded as "AudioNet" in September 1995 by Chris Jaeb. Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban later led the organization to hugely capitalize on the Dot-com bubble and be sold to Yahoo.com.-History:...
and now co-owns 2929 Entertainment
2929 Entertainment
2929 Entertainment is a media company with holdings in film and television production, film distribution, theatrical exhibition, home entertainment, television, and syndication. Billionaires Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban founded and currently own the privately held company...
with Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
, along with other entertainment properties and has also founded the Todd Wagner Foundation.
Early life
Wagner attended Indiana UniversityIndiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
joining Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
Fraternity Beta Theta Chapter. He later graduated in 1983. He earned a law degree from University Of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and then moved to Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
where he became a licensed CPA in the State of Texas, and began a legal career with the national firms Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld and Hopkins & Sutter
Hopkins & Sutter
Hopkins & Sutter was a Chicago-based law firm that practiced from 1921 to 2000, when it merged with Milwaukee-based Foley & Lardner. The firm was established by Albert Hopkins and Harry Sutter...
.
Broadcast.com
In 1995 he joined up with fellow Indiana alum Mark CubanMark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
and the two launched AudioNet, broadcasting live sporting events and radio stations over the Internet, at first with only a Packard Bell 486 PC and a single ISDN line. As CEO, Wagner grew the company and expanded its services to include corporate events and business services. In 1998 Wagner and Cuban changed the name to Broadcast.com
Broadcast.com
Broadcast.com was a web radio company founded as "AudioNet" in September 1995 by Chris Jaeb. Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban later led the organization to hugely capitalize on the Dot-com bubble and be sold to Yahoo.com.-History:...
and took the company public in the midst of the dot-com boom. The Broadcast.com IPO set an opening-day record, with shares climbing 249% from an offering price of $18 to a closing price of $62.75. In 1999, Wagner and Cuban sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
for $5.7 billion, making 300 employees millionaires and Wagner and Cuban instant billionaires. Wagner continued to lead the division as Yahoo! Broadcast until May 2000, when he declined an offer to become Yahoo!’s Chief Operating Officer to focus on other interests.
The Todd Wagner Foundation
In addition to his business endeavors, Wagner has committed his personal resources and innovation to bettering the lives of children throughout the country through his own charitable foundation. Established in 2000, The Todd Wagner Foundation has dedicated millions of dollars to improving the lives of at-risk children and inner-city communities by increasing access to technology, education and capital.After meeting with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
, Wagner in 2001 launched his Foundation’s first children’s program, the Dallas chapter of the After-School All-Stars (then called Inner-City Games), a national program championed by Schwarzenegger that provides year-round technology, academic, sports and cultural programs for children in the nation's inner cities. The Dallas After-School All-Stars now reaches more than 4,000 children with programs ranging from chess and art classes to golf, running clubs and math competitions.
Wagner also created a Minority Technology Fund that provides funding and resources to minority-owned, technology-focused businesses based in Dallas and has made investments in numerous companies including: Imaginuity Interactive, a Web site development firm; Abstract Concepts, developer of African-American communities Ebonymate.com and Dallasblack.com; and rocKnot, a software development firm.
Wagner has also developed the MIRACLES technology, education and life skills program, a groundbreaking initiative that provides a comprehensive after-school program for inner-city children. Structured, instructor-led and outcome-based, this unique program, built from the ground up and managed by Wagner and his team, is currently in its fifth year and is operating in nine cities across the country in conjunction with the national After-School All-Stars. The intense multi-year program begins in sixth grade and continues through high-school graduation. The Foundation recently made a substantial grant that unites the MIRACLES curriculum with The Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) technology program “Club Tech” to reach and help millions of kids nationwide.
The Foundation has also provided funding to bring the nationally recognized KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) charter school to Dallas in 2003 and to Wagner's hometown of Gary, Indiana in 2006. KIPP Truth Academy is a program through which students develop the knowledge, skills and character needed to succeed in top-quality high schools, colleges and the competitive world beyond.
Wagner’s philanthropic achievements have earned him several honors including the national First Star “Visionary Award” (2006), the Dallas CASA “Champion of Children” award (2005), the national “Kappa Sigma Man of the Year” award (2003), the Milton P. Levy Jr. Volunteer Award from Dallas' Special Care and Career Services (2008), an honor from the Urban League of Greater Dallas (2003), “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” from Dallas’ Center for Nonprofit Management (2002), and After-School All Stars’ “Man of the Year” (2000).
2929 Entertainment
Using his success of Broadcast.com as a platform, Wagner built the Wagner/Cuban Companies. This innovative portfolio of companies spans content creation, distribution and exhibition including 2929 Productions. As CEO, Wagner has driven several important social and issue-oriented films, including two that received seven total Oscar nominations (Good Night, and Good Luck and Enron: The Smartest Guys in the RoomEnron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a 2005 documentary film based on the best-selling 2003 book of the same name by Fortune reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, a study of one of the largest business scandals in American history...
), and has impacted Hollywood through an innovative day-and-date film distribution strategy.
With a goal of bringing meaningful and inspirational stories to movie fans through 2929 Productions (the production division of 2929 Entertainment), Wagner has been instrumental in bringing films like Good Night, and Good Luck, Akeelah and the Bee
Akeelah and the Bee
Akeelah and the Bee is a 2006 American drama film written and directed by Doug Atchison. It tells the story of Akeelah Anderson, portrayed by Keke Palmer, an 11-year-old girl who participates in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, her mother, portrayed by Angela Bassett, schoolmates, and also her...
and The Road
The Road
The Road is a 2006 novel by the American author Cormac McCarthy.The Road may also refer to:* The Road , a 2001 Kazakhstani film* The Road , a 2009 film adaptation of the McCarthy novel...
to the big screen. He is currently developing his next passion project, The Chosen Few, a film about the landmark Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
battle. Good Night, directed by and co-starring George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
, struck an important chord in the national debate over freedom of speech and was nominated for six Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
including Best Picture. Akeelah, starring Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
, Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett
Angela Evelyn Bassett is an American actress. She has become well known for her biographical film roles portraying real life women in African American culture, including singer Tina Turner in the motion picture What's Love Got to Do with It, as well as Betty Shabazz in the films Malcolm X and...
and rising star Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer
Lauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer is an American actress and singer who rose to fame for her performance in the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee. She also starred as the title character in the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP...
, is inspiring a generation of urban youth to dream big.
Other Entertainment Ventures
In addition to 2929 Entertainment, Wagner, with business partner Mark Cuban, also owns a group of vertically integrated entertainment properties that includes high-definition production company HDNet Films (produced the Academy Award–nominated documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room); distributor Magnolia PicturesMagnolia Pictures
Magnolia Pictures is an American film distributor, and is a holding of 2929 Entertainment, owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban. Magnolia was formed in 2001 by Bill Banowsky and Eamonn Bowles, and specializes in both foreign and independent films....
(released Enron and Oscar-nominated Capturing the Friedmans
Capturing the Friedmans
Capturing the Friedmans is a documentary film directed by Andrew Jarecki. It focuses on the 1980s investigation of Arnold and Jesse Friedman for child molestation...
); home video division Magnolia Home Entertainment; the Landmark Theatres
Landmark Theatres
Landmark Theatres is the largest art house movie theater chain in the United States. It is owned by Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner through their 2929 Entertainment. The chain shows mostly first run independent, foreign film, and restored classics though some Landmark theaters also show more mainstream...
art-house chain; and high-definition cable channels HDNet
HDNet
HDNet is a men's interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format and available via cable and satellite television...
and HDNet Movies.
Wagner also has a stake in the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, and he continues to invest in and nurture start-ups. He holds interests in Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...
, and The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company is an American film studio founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2005 after the brothers left the then-Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979...
. Additionally, he is founder and co-chairman of Content Partners LLC, a company that invests in the back-end profit participations of Hollywood talent. Wagner also continues to invest in and nurture a variety of technology and media start-ups.
Additionally Wagner is serves on the American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
’s Board of Trustees.
Filmography
- Searching for Debra Winger (2002) - Executive Producer
- Star SearchStar SearchStar Search is a television show that was produced from 1983-95, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Alfred Masini. A relaunch was produced in 2003-04. The show was originally filmed at the old Earl Carroll Theatre at 6230 Sunset Blvd...
(2003/2004) Executive Producer - Godsend (2004) - Executive Producer and Cameo
- The BenefactorThe BenefactorThe Benefactor is an American reality television show broadcast on ABC starting on September 13, 2004. The premise involved 16 contestants vying to win US$1 million from billionaire entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban....
(TV)(2004) - Executive Producer - Criminal (2004) - Executive Producer
- The JacketThe JacketThe Jacket is a 2005 psychological thriller film directed by John Maybury that is partly based on the Jack London novel of the same name, released in the US as The Star Rover. Massy Tadjedin wrote the screenplay based on a story by Tom Bleecker and Marc Rocco...
(2005) - Executive Producer - Enron: The Smartest Guys in the RoomEnron: The Smartest Guys in the RoomEnron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a 2005 documentary film based on the best-selling 2003 book of the same name by Fortune reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, a study of one of the largest business scandals in American history...
(2005) Academy Award nominee, Best Documentary Feature - Executive Producer - Good Night and Good Luck (2005) Six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture - Executive Producer
- The War WithinThe War Within (film)The War Within is a 2005 American drama film directed by Joseph Castelo. Created by Honet Films and released by Magnolia Pictures, the film stars Ayad Akhtar, Firdous Bamji, Nandana Sen and Sarita Choudhury...
(2005) – Executive Producer - Bubble (2006) directed by Steven Soderbergh and released simultaneously in theaters, on television and on DVD – Executive Producer
- Herbie Hancock: Possibilities (2006) - Executive Producer
- One Last Thing...One Last Thing...One Last Thing... is a 2006 comedy-drama film produced by HDNet Films and released by Magnolia Pictures. It was screened at the Toronto Film Festival on September 12, 2005 and had a limited release in the United States on May 5, 2006...
(2006) - Executive Producer - Akeelah and the BeeAkeelah and the BeeAkeelah and the Bee is a 2006 American drama film written and directed by Doug Atchison. It tells the story of Akeelah Anderson, portrayed by Keke Palmer, an 11-year-old girl who participates in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, her mother, portrayed by Angela Bassett, schoolmates, and also her...
(2006) – Executive Producer and Cameo - The Architect (2006) - Executive Producer
- Turistas (2006) - Executive Producer
- Fast Track (2006) - Executive Producer
- Diggers (2006) - Executive Producer
- Black Christmas (2006) - Executive Producer
- Quid Pro Quo (2006) – Executive Producer
- Surfwise (2007) – Executive Producer
- We Own the Night (2007) – Executive Producer
- Fay Grim (2006) – Executive Producer
- Hunter (2007) - Executive Producer
- Broken English (2007) - Executive Producer
- What Just Happened? (2007) – Executive Producer
- The Life Before Her Eyes (2007) – Executive Producer