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CEO Marc Perez Leaves Anime Expo's Parent Company SPJA

posted on by Karen Ressler
Ray Chiang named acting CEO; Perez had assumed CEO role in 2010

Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) CEO Marc Perez announced on Facebook on Tuesday that he has left his job at the SPJA.

Perez explained that "it's time to move on," and added, "I wish all of the employees and volunteers the very best and look forward to seeing you in the future."

The SPJA's Board of Directors said in an official statement on Wednesday:

The Board of Directors of the SPJA has appointed a long time member of its leadership team, Ray Chiang, as its acting Chief Executive Officer. Effective April 4, 2016 Marc Perez is no longer with the SPJA. The SPJA is grateful to Mr. Perez for his years of service and wishes him the best in his future endeavors.

Chiang stated, "We are focusing on executing the plans already in motion in order to deliver a great 25th year of Anime Expo."

Perez has worked with the SPJA for 12 years. He took over as CEO after former CEO Michael Lattanzio stepped down in 2010.

Perez is SPJA's fourth formal CEO since 2005, when then-CEO Jennifer Pon resigned her post. Trulee Karahashi served as SPJA's CEO from 2007 to 2009. On March 27, 2009, Karahashi was dismissed in what she described as a termination. SPJA announced its hiring of Lattanzio on September 8, 2009. Perez was one of several individuals who temporarily headed SPJA during the interim period between Pon and Karahashi's tenures, and again during the interim period between Karahashi and Lattanzio's tenures.

SPJA is the California-based non-profit organization behind Anime Expo. The group revealed in January that it is "expanding, refocusing and rebranding." Perez told ANN that Anime Expo's focus will remain the same, but SPJA will broaden its focus to include other types of entertainment media. SPJA plans to open an additional office in Tokyo sometime this year in hopes of being able to "develop a closer working relationship with the industry we support." The SPJA will reveal its new brand name and logo in the coming months.


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