Steve Mensch, President of Tyler Perry Studios
The President of Atlanta-based film studio Tyler Perry Studios, Steve Mensch, died in a plane crash in Homosassa, Florida Friday evening.
Mensch, 62, was reportedly piloting the small plane when he crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast about 60 miles North of Tampa.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are currently investigating the crash.
Via Fox 5 Atlanta:
Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry, founder of Tyler Perry Studios, best known for his comedy character Mabel “Madea” Simmons and the Madea film series, responded in an Instagram post shortly after Mensch’s passing:
This time of year, grief meets me like an unwanted visitor, as tomorrow marks 15 years since the loss of my mother. It feels especially harder because I have lost so many friends and mentors this year, ranging in age from as young as 40 to 92. And today, yet another loss.
I’ve been trying to understand this tragedy all day—what went wrong with that plane. Steve loved flying, and he loved that plane; he took so much pride in it. Steve Mensch was truly a kind soul and a great leader at the studio. We all adored him and are devastated that he’s gone. I’m praying for his family as we all try to make sense of this heartbreak.
Life is but a moment; we are like vapors. Hold strong to the people you love AND TELL THEM!
A post shared by Tyler Perry (@tylerperry)
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens also responded to the incident.
Kemp responded on X:
Marty, the girls, and I were saddened to learn of Steve Mensch’s passing. A good man and an instrumental part of a studio Georgia is proud to call its own, his achievements made our state better and brought more opportunities to its people. His loved ones and the entire Tyler Perry Studios team will be in our thoughts and prayers as they mourn this loss.
Marty, the girls, and I were saddened to learn of Steve Mensch’s passing. A good man and an instrumental part of a studio Georgia is proud to call its own, his achievements made our state better and brought more opportunities to its people. His loved ones and the entire Tyler… https://t.co/8pP58CxFni
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) December 7, 2024
Dickens gave the following statement to the press Saturday evening:
“I was incredibly sad to learn about the tragic passing of Steve Mensch, the President and General Manager of Tyler Perry Studios. Aside from being instrumental in establishing Atlanta as a premier destination for global film and television production, he was a trusted friend and supporter of the Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment. Whether he was hosting national conferences or allowing our interns to tour the grounds of TPS, he was always willing to share his expertise and inspire others to pursue their passion.
“My thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at Tyler Perry Studios.”
Fox 5 Atlanta reports,
Steve Mensch, the general manager and president of Tyler Perry Studios helped advocate for and maintain Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Those lavish subsidies have made Georgia one of the most active places in the United States for film and television production.
Mensch got into the movie business when he started working for Feature Systems, which provides equipment for the movie industry. He was hired by Atlanta-based Turner Broadcasting to run its studio operations, later becoming director of strategic production partnerships. It was there that he began to lobby state government for more aid to movie and television production.
Ric Reitz, an actor who also helped create the tax credits, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Mensch helped market the state before the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and helped launch the Georgia Production Partnership, an entertainment industry lobbying group.
Mensch got into the movie business when he started working for Feature Systems, which provides equipment for the movie industry. He was hired by Atlanta-based Turner Broadcasting to run its studio operations, later becoming director of strategic production partnerships. It was there that he began to lobby state government for more aid to movie and television production.
Ric Reitz, an actor who also helped create the tax credits, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Mensch helped market the state before the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and helped launch the Georgia Production Partnership, an entertainment industry lobbying group.
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