Kay Koplovitz

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Kay Koplovitz
Born (1945-04-11) April 11, 1945 (age 79)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
Residence New York, New York
Nationality American
Alma mater University of Wisconsin–Madison and Michigan State University
Occupation Co-Founder and Chairman of Springboard Enterprises

Kay Koplovitz (born April 11, 1945) founded the USA Network and is the first woman to serve as network president in television history. She currently serves as the Co-Founder and Chairman of Springboard Enterprises, Chairman and CEO of Koplovitz & Company LLC and Chairman of the Board at Fifth & Pacific. She is also the author of "Bold Women, Big Ideas: Learning To Play The High-Risk Entrepreneurial Game."

Early life, education

Kay Koplovitz was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a B.A. in Communications and earned a master's degree in Communications from Michigan State University.[1] She is married to private investor William C. Koplovitz, Jr.[2]

Career

USA Networks

Koplovitz founded the USA Network in 1977 as an all sports service, Madison Square Garden Sports.[3] USA would eventually become the number one ranking cable network in primetime viewership for 13 consecutive years.[3] Under her leadership, the SyFy Channel was launched in 1992 and USA Network International was launched in 1994, operating in countries around the world.[3] Koplovitz is also credited for creating the concept for two revenue steams of licensing and advertising.[1] She served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until 1998 when it was sold for $4.5 billion and it became a publicly listed company.[1]

Springboard Enterprises, Koplovitz & Company

In 1998, President Bill Clinton appointed Koplovitz to chair the bipartisan National Women's Business Council.[4] This helped create a platform for her to Co-Found Springboard Enterprises in 2000. Springboard is a national organization fostering venture capital investments in women-led high growth companies and has raised over $5.5 billion and created over 10,000 jobs since its inception.[1][5]

Also in 1998, Koplovitz & Company LLC was established to provide advisory services to entertainment companies, sports organizations, advertisers and distributors. It advises companies on growth strategies and the firm makes investments in early and mid-stage companies in media and technology.[6]

In 2013, she delivered the keynote at the Women 2.0 conference in Las Vegas which caters to women in technology.[7]

Other projects and board memberships

In 2002, Koplovitz's book Bold Women, Big Ideas: Learning To Play The High-Risk Entrepreneurial Game was published. She wrote to inform and inspire women entrepreneurs to create wealth through equity.[8]

Koplovitz served as Chairman of the Board of Fifth & Pacific, formerly Liz Claiborne, from January 2007 until May 2013.[1] She has also served as a board member of CA Technologies, ION Media, Instinet, Oracle, Nabisco and General Re.[4]

Koplovitz served as chairman of the board for Kate Spade & Company from 2007 to 2013.[9]

In April 2014, it was announced that Kay Koplovitz would sit on the 10-member board of Time Inc., the publishing arm of Time Warner Inc. [10]

Koplovitz announced the Video4Villages project in 2014, which will attempt to create a global platform using mobile distribution, making video content available on any phone with local language subtitles. Koplovitz began the project in the hopes of bringing knowledge through video to those living in parts of the world without high-speed connections.[11]

Awards and honors

Koplovitz holds honorary doctorate degrees from Emerson College, St. John's University, Michigan State University and Canisius College.[12] Other honors and awards she has received include the following:

  • Wisconsin Alumni Association 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award
  • Athena Leadership Award Recipient for Women’s Leadership (2005)
  • Women's Leadership Exchange, Compass Award (2003)
  • Cable Hall of Fame: Induction For Leadership in the Industry (2001)
  • Babson College: Induction into Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs (2001)
  • University of Michigan Business School: Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2001)
  • New York Economic Development Council: Alley Entrepreneurs Award (2000)
  • Anti-Defamation League’s Champion of Liberty Award for the Erase The Hate Campaign (1998)
  • Women In Film: Lucy Award for Outstanding Program Executive (1998)
  • Chairman’s Award from the National Association of Television Programming Executives (1996)
  • Cable Ace Governor’s Award (1995)
  • International Crystal Award from Women in Film (1993)
  • Ellis Island Medal of Honor (1993)
  • Broadcasting Magazine Hall of Fame (1992)
  • Muse Award, New York Women in Film and TV (1992)
  • Chairman’s Award for Leadership from the Cable Advertising Bureau (1987)
  • Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Award by the City University of New York (1986)
  • Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Michigan State University Graduate School of Business (1985)
  • Distinguished Service Award, Young Adult Institute (YAI) (1985)
  • Entrepreneurial Women Award (1984)
  • The Matrix Award for Women in Communication (1983)
  • Cable Television Association Vanguard Award (1982)
  • Advertising Age’s Top Ten Newsmakers (1980)
  • Action for Children’s Television Award (1979)
  • The National Cable Television Association Vanguard Award for Young Leadership (1979)[2][4]

References

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