Marc Bell (entrepreneur)

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Marc H. Bell
Marc H Bell
Born
Brooklyn, New York, US
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma materBabson College, New York University
OccupationManaging Partner,
Marc Bell Capital
Founder and CEO,
Globix
Known forFormer owner of Penthouse magazine[1][2][3][4]
Board member ofArmour Residential REIT

Marc Bell is an American financier and entrepreneur. He is the managing partner of Marc Bell Capital, a Boca Raton, Florida-based firm founded in 2003.[citation needed] He is also a producer of plays, musicals and movies.

Education[]

Bell graduated from Scarsdale High School in the Class of 1985. He later on earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Babson College and a Master of Science degree in real estate development and investment from New York University.[5]

Career[]

Bell founded the web hosting company that eventually became Globix Corporation in 1989 at the age of 21[6] and served as its CEO and chairman of the board through the company's IPO in 1996[7] and into the dot-com bubble; as the company crashed along with the stock market in 2001, Bell was replaced as CEO.[8] Its market capitalization had fallen from almost $1 billion in 1999 to $5.87 million in 2002 when it went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[9]

In 2001, he joined the Board of Trustees of New York University and Board of Overseers New York University School of Medicine.[5][10]

Through his company Marc Bell Capital, Bell is an investor and partner in restaurants and nightclubs in New York City in ventures such as Artichoke Pizza and Lavo.[5][6]

In 2004, Bell and a partner acquired Penthouse magazine for $52 million in a bankruptcy auction through a vehicle they called "Penthouse Media Group",[5][11][12] and in 2007 Penthouse Media Group acquired Various, which included networking site AdultFriendFinder.com for $500 million[5] and Bell and his partner renamed the company Friend Finder Networks.[12] In the 2008 Bell attempted to enter the Las Vegas casino market and was interviewed by Robin Leach about his intentions; he brought Penthouse models with him to the interview.[13]

Bell has produced musicals and plays such as Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, The Wedding Singer, August: Osage County, and A Catered Affair.[6] His production Jersey Boys won a Tony Award for Best Musical in 2006 and August: Osage County won Best Play in 2008.

In 2010 Bell, through Friend Finder Networks, tried to acquire Playboy Enterprises but was rebuffed after a $210 million bid.[5][14]

In 2013 Friend Finder declared bankruptcy.[12] That same year, Bell put his house in Boca Raton on the market for $35 million; it included a room modeled after the bridge of the Enterprise D from Star Trek: The Next Generation.[15]

References[]

  1. ^ "The President and the porn stars: Bill Clinton, adult actresses Brooklyn Lee and Tasha Reign, and a 10-second photo op". masslive.com. Retrieved 23 January 2016. ...as the guest of Marc Bell, the CEO of the corporation that owns Penthouse Magazine...
  2. ^ "Penthouse Owner: Leave Bill Clinton Alone". ABC News. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  3. ^ Robin Leach (19 November 2008). "Special Feature: Meet Penthouse mogul Marc Bell, the man who plans to change the face of the Strip and make it 'hotter and sexier'". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  4. ^ Robin Leach. "Special Feature: Meet Penthouse mogul Marc Bell, the man who plans to change the face of the Strip and make it 'hotter and sexier'". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Brett Pulley (July 22, 2010). "FriendFinder's CEO Wants Playboy". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Know Your NYU Trustees: Marc Bell, Whose Company Owns AdultFriendFinder". NYULocal. February 23, 2012. Archived from the original on April 12, 2012.
  7. ^ Staff, New York Times. January 22, 1996 Equity and Convertible Offerings for This Week
  8. ^ Staff, The Wall Street Transcript. September 2, 2002 CEO Interview: Peter Stevenson
  9. ^ Staff, New York Times. January 15, 2002 Technology Briefing | Internet: Globix Plans To Seek Protection
  10. ^ "Bio - Marc.com". Marc.com. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  11. ^ Bosworth, Patricia (February 2005). "The X-Rated Emperor". Vanity Fair.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c Pfeifer, Stuart (2013-09-17). "Penthouse publisher FriendFinder files for bankruptcy protection - Los Angeles Times". Latimes.com. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  13. ^ Leach, Robin (November 19, 2008). "Special Feature: Meet Penthouse mogul Marc Bell, the man who plans to change the face of the Strip and make it 'hotter and sexier'". Las Vegas Weekly.
  14. ^ Jennifer Saba (July 15, 2010). "Penthouse owner offers $210 million for Playboy". Reuters. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  15. ^ Erin Carlyle (May 14, 2014). "Former Penthouse Exec Marc Bell's Star Trek Mansion Hits The Market For $35 Million". forbes. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
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