Marc Bell (entrepreneur)

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. He is also a producer of plays, musicals and movies.

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

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. Brett Pulley (July 22, 2010). "FriendFinder's CEO Wants Playboy". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  6. "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. 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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