ATLANTA — Georgia’s film industry is mourning the loss of Tyler Perry Studio executive Steve Mensch.
Mensch died in a plane crash last week. He was president and general manager of the studio.
But his impact goes way beyond that.
Channel 2’s Richard Elliot learned that Georgia’s film industry pretty much exists today because of mensch’s contributions.
Not many people outside the film industry knew Mensch and how he helped transform Georgia entertainment from a $400 million a year industry to one now bringing in more than $9 billion a year.
When former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed found out we were doing a story on Mensch, he wanted to come talk to us.
“There’s certain individuals that when we lose them, the city and the state should pause,” Reed said.
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Reed knows firsthand that Mensch was part of the team that helped push the lucrative film tax credits through the Georgia legislature.
That one measure convinced some in Hollywood to move east -- including Marvel Studios.
Georgia is now considered a major player in international entertainment.
“So much of what the city of Atlanta and the state now enjoys, a business that employs 40,000 to 50,000 people across the state in the creative services industry is owed to Steve,” Reed said.
But Mensch also knew that Georgia needed to train those tens of thousands of film industry employees, so he led the way in creating the Georgia Film Academy.
University System of Georgia’s Scott Votaw is the USG’s assistant vice chancellor of that academy.
“He’s made a difference in so many people’s lives, and I mean every student that’s out working for the Georgia Film Academy really should say a thank you to Steve,” Votaw said.
Mensch is survived by his wife and three children.
In a statement, Tyler Perry called Mensch a good soul and a great leader and said he is praying for his family.
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