Jay Sures

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Jay Sures
Born (1966-11-02) November 2, 1966 (age 55)
NationalityAmerican
EducationUniversity of California, Los Angeles
EmployerUnited Talent Agency
TitleCo-President
Board member ofRegents of the University of California
Children3

Jay Sures is an American entertainment industry executive and talent agent, currently serving as co-president of United Talent Agency.

Early life and education[]

Born in 1966[1] to a Jewish family[2] in Canada, Sures was raised in Los Angeles.[3] He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he has also served as an assistant visiting professor for the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.[4]

Career[]

Sures' career with United Talent Agency (UTA) began with the agency's establishment in 1991, working in the mailroom and assisting co-founder Peter Benedek.[4][5][6] He became a talent agent when UTA first formed,[7] and was promoted to partner in 1998.[8] Sures joined the board of directors in 2003.[7] He and David Kramer held managing director roles starting in 2010,[5][9] and both became co-presidents in September 2017.[5][9] Sures is also a co-founder of the UTA Foundation, the agency's non-profit organization.[4]

Sures leads the agency's news, broadcast and television divisions,[5] as well as the acquired Greater Talent Network speakers division.[4][6][9] He began managing UTA's news and broadcast division after leading the agency's 2014 acquisition of N.S. Bienstock.[4][10][11]

Sures was appointed to the Television Academy's Executive Committee in 2014,[12] and inducted into Broadcasting & Cable's Hall of Fame in 2016.[13][14][15] In June 2017, Sures and Kramer, along with UTA's chief executive officer, Jeremy Zimmer, ranked number 33 on The Hollywood Reporter's list of the 100 "most powerful people in entertainment".[16]

In 2018's Mediaite annual rankings of top players in the news business, Sures was the sole agent recognized.[17]

Throughout his career, Sures has represented Glenn Beck, Henry Bromell,[18] Don Lemon, Steve Levitan, Chuck Lorre, Norah O'Donnell, Darren Star, Jake Tapper,[19] Chuck Todd, Elizabeth Vargas, and Larry Wilmore, among others.[4][13][20]

Sures led contract negotiations between United Talent Agency and the Writers Guild of America. Focusing primarily on a practice known as packaging, the impasse resulted in a lawsuit and WGA members firing their agents in April 2019.[21][22] After months of backchannel negotiations,[23] Sures announced that United Talent Agency had reached an agreement with the Writer's Guild, becoming the first major talent agency to do so.[23]

Beginning in 2016, Sures has hosted an annual party in Washington, DC the night before the White House Correspondents Dinner that blends the worlds of politics, entertainment and media.[24]

Personal life[]

Sures has been married twice and has three daughters, Catherine Sures, Claire Sures, and Emily Sures.

Sures is a political activist and a longtime supporter of the Democratic Party.[10][13] In 2016, he hosted a fundraiser for Senator Tim Kaine, then Hillary Clinton's selection for vice president in the U.S. presidential election.[25][26] Earlier in the race, he had supported Joe Biden.[27][28] He pledged his support for Democratic candidate Gavin Newsom in California's 2018 gubernatorial race.[29]

Sures joined the Entertainment Industry Foundation's board of directors in 2008.[30][31] In 2014, he was honored at Chrysalis' annual Butterfly Ball, which recognizes entertainment professionals for their "creative excellence and philanthropic endeavors".[32][33] Sures was appointed to the Regents of the University of California[34] in January 2019 by former Governor Jerry Brown. He was reappointed for a 12-year term by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020.[35]

In January 2019, it was announced that Sures, along with Rande Gerber and his spouse Cindy Crawford, Mike Meldman, and Jeff Shell would purchase the iconic Hollywood deli, Nate ‘n Al, to keep its doors open after three generations of family ownership.[36][37]

References[]

  1. ^ Hollywood Reporter: "The THR 100: Hollywood Reporter's Most Powerful People in Entertainment - Jeremy Zimmer, David Kramer and Jay Sures CEO; Managing directors, United Talent Agency" June 21, 2017
  2. ^ Klug, Lisa (23 June 2016). "Who said Jews run Hollywood? Inaugural list of 100 prominent players in Tinseltown shows a lack of diversity -- and a whole lot of MOT". Times of Israel.
  3. ^ Variety Magazine 500: Jay Sures retrieved October 21, 2017
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Jay Sures". Variety. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 810134503. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d Littleton, Cynthia (September 6, 2017). "UTA Promotes David Kramer and Jay Sures to Co-Presidents". Variety. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Wyche, Elbert (September 6, 2017). "David Kramer, Jay Sures named co-presidents of UTA". Screen International. ISSN 0307-4617. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  7. ^ a b Schneider, Michael; Adalian, Josef (October 20, 2003). "UTA partner Sures tapped for tenpercentery's board. (United Theater Artists appoints Jay Sures to board of directors)". Daily Variety. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018 – via HighBeam Research.
  8. ^ Petrikin, Chris (April 23, 1998). "UTA ups 5 agents". Variety. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c Sun, Rebecca (September 6, 2017). "UTA Ups David Kramer and Jay Sures to Co-Presidents". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  10. ^ a b "The Playbook Interview: Jay Sures". Politico. Capitol News Company. April 1, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  11. ^ Rose, Lacey; Guthrie, Marisa (January 22, 2014). "UTA Acquires New York TV News Power Agency N.S. Bienstock". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  12. ^ "TV Academy Names John Landgraf, Michael Lombardo, Steve Mosko, Ted Sarandos, Jay Sures, Nina Tassler To Executive Committee". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  13. ^ a b c Malone, Michael (November 9, 2016). "UTA's Sures: Give Trump a Chance". Broadcasting & Cable. ISSN 1068-6827. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  14. ^ "B&C Hall of Fame Class of 2016 Set". Broadcasting & Cable. August 4, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  15. ^ "Broadcasting & Cable Names 2016 Hall of Fame Class". Twice. July 26, 2016. ISSN 0892-7278. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  16. ^ "The THR 100: Hollywood Reporter's Most Powerful People in Entertainment". The Hollywood Reporter. June 21, 2017. ISSN 0018-3660. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  17. ^ "Mediaite's Most Influential in News Media 2018". Retrieved 2018-12-14.
  18. ^ Malcolm, Shawna (June 28, 2013). "Henry Bromell's Legacy Looms Large Over 'Homeland'". Variety. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  19. ^ Andrews-Dyer, Helena (June 15, 2015). "Jake Tapper celebrates new gig at the Palm". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  20. ^ Rosman, Katherine (March 20, 2012). "A Man of Many Screens". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. OCLC 781541372. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  21. ^ "Over 7,000 Writers Fire Their Agents as New Reality Takes Hold | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  22. ^ Kay2020-07-15T09:47:00+01:00, Jeremy. "UTA, Writers Guild of America break deadlock". Screen. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  23. ^ a b Andreeva, David Robb,Nellie; Robb, David; Andreeva, Nellie (2019-05-23). "WGA Accepts Agencies' Offer To Resume Talks Initiated By UTA's Jay Sures – Update". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  24. ^ Lejeune, Tristan (2018-04-05). "United Talent Agency announces third annual White House Correspondents' party". TheHill. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  25. ^ "Tim Kaine headlining fundraiser at Eva Longoria's home". Los Angeles Daily News. Digital First Media. September 15, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  26. ^ "Tim Kaine to Begin 2-Day Fundraising Swing Through Los Angeles". KCAL-TV. September 19, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  27. ^ Chalfant, Morgan (September 22, 2015). "George Clooney Considering Backing Biden Over Hillary Clinton, Hollywood Sources Say". The Washington Free Beacon. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  28. ^ Johnson, Ted (September 25, 2015). "Hollywood Donors Weigh a Hillary Clinton vs. Joseph Biden Race". Variety. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  29. ^ Johnson, Ted (April 27, 2018). "UTA's D.C. Bash Will Reflect Era of Trump, Even if He's a Correspondents Dinner No Show". Variety. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  30. ^ Kivel, Matthew (July 17, 2008). "EIF organization announces board". Variety. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  31. ^ "Toast of the valley". Napa Valley Register. Lee Enterprises. July 7, 2007. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  32. ^ Seikaly, Andrea (June 8, 2014). "Chrysalis Butterfly Ball Raises $1.4 Million-Plus to Help Homeless in L.A." Variety. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  33. ^ "Health Happenings—Memories in the Making Exhibition Features Works by Alzheimer's Patients, and More…". The Beverly Hills Courier. May 31, 2016. ISSN 0892-645X. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  34. ^ Lincoln, Ross A. (2019-01-05). "UTA Co-President Jay Sures Appointed to UC Board of Regents". SFGate. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  35. ^ Thorne, Will (2020-01-21). "UTA Co-President Jay Sures Reappointed to University of California Board of Regents". Variety. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  36. ^ Donnelly, Matt (2019-01-13). "Hollywood Power Players Assemble to Save Iconic Deli Nate 'n Al". Variety. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  37. ^ "Irving Azoff, Hollywood A-Listers Team to Save Legendary Deli Nate 'n Al". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
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