Jesse Itzler

Jesse Itzler is an American entrepreneur, author, and rapper.[3][4] He is the co-founder of Marquis Jet, one of the largest private jet card companies in the world, a partner in Zico Coconut Water, the founder of The 100 Mile Group and one of the owners of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks.[5][6]

Jesse Itzler
Itzler in 2018
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma materAmerican University (B.A.) [1][2]
Occupation(s)Founder of The 100 Mile Group, entrepreneur, author, rapper, singer, songwriter
Spouse
​
(m. 2008)​
Children4

Early life and education

Jesse Itzler was born on August 22, 1968, to a Jewish family[7] and raised in Roslyn, New York,[8] on Long Island, the son of Daniel Itzler, an inventor, and Elese Itzler,[9] the president of the Roslyn Board of Education. Itzler earned his bachelor's degree in 1990 from American University. He later obtained a degree in justice, law, and society.[1][2]

Career

Music career

After graduating from college, Itzler signed with Delicious Vinyl records as a songwriter/artist. He released his debut album Thirty Footer in Your Face using the pseudonym Jesse Jaymes in 1991. He co-wrote songs for various artists including Tone Lōc.[3] His first released single "College Girls (Are Easy)" while not ranking on the Billboard Hot 100 chart did become a club anthem. This was followed by his second single "Shake It Like A White Girl", which did reach 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1991[10] and was featured in the soundtrack of the 2004 movie White Chicks.[11] In 1992, Itzler wrote and sang the New York Knicks theme song "Go NY Go"[12] as well as original songs for more than 50 other professional teams. Itzler wrote and sang the Emmy Award-winning song "I Love This Game" and also produced the theme song for Inside the NBA. Itzler is credited with campaigns for Foot Locker and Coca-Cola.[13]

Itzler's music partner was Dana Mozie, whom he met in 1987, a man described as being from a "strikingly different background... raised in the southeast section of Washington... as streetwise as Itzler was suburban," with whom he collaborated on several musical projects in his period as Jesse Jaymes.[2]

Entrepreneurship

In 1996, Itzler co-founded Alphabet City Sports Records with his friend Kenny Dichter.[14] The record company is known for mixing classic arena songs with highlights of historical play-by-play calls for professional sports teams including the Wizards, the Mavericks, and the Lakers. In 1998, the company was sold to SFX.[15]

In 2001, Itzler co-founded Marquis Jet, one of the largest private jet card companies in the world.[16] Itzler served as the company's Vice Chairman until the company was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway, parent company of NetJets, in 2009.[5][17]

In 2009, Itzler created the 100 Mile Group, a brand incubator and accelerator.[18][19] The company announced a partnership with ZICO Coconut Water and the Coca-Cola company in 2009.[20] In 2012, ZICO was acquired by Coca-Cola for an undisclosed sum.[16]

In November 2015, Itzler released his book Living With a SEAL: 31 Days Training With the Toughest Man on the Planet.[21] The book was a New York Times Best Seller and ranked first on the LA Times book list.[22][23] He released Living With the Monks: What Turning Off My Phone Taught Me about Happiness, Gratitude, and Focus in 2018.[24] Itzler is represented by literary agent Lisa Leshne of The Leshne Agency.[25]

Recently, he has begun to pursue keynote speaking.[26]

Atlanta Hawks

In 2015, Itzler and his wife, Sara Blakely were part of a group led by Tony Ressler along with Grant Hill, Steven Price, and Rick Schnall, that successfully purchased the Atlanta Hawks for $850 million[27][28][29] from Bruce Levenson.[30][31][32]

Personal life

In 2006, Itzler competed in the USA National Ultra Marathon Championship in Grapevine, Texas, successfully completing a 100-mile run in under 24 hours.[33] Itzler finished 49th out of 80 in the SEA Paddle NYC 25 mile stand up paddle race around Manhattan in 2012.[34]

In 2008, Itzler married Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, at the Gasparilla Inn and Club in Boca Grande, Florida.[16][35] The couple have four children and reside in Georgia.[36][37]

References
  1. Reichley, Melissa, "Alumni Success Story: Go-Getter Itzler on Third Career: Marquis Jet", Alumni News, American University
  2. Rhoden, William C. (February 18, 1995). "Sports of The Times; Hip-Hop In Orange And Blue". The New York Times. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  3. Janes, Erika Rasmusson (November 1, 2004). "NBA Idol: An Entrepreneur Raps His Way Into The Big Leagues". money.cnn.com. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  4. Family's Live-In Navy SEAL Identified. New York Post. November 3, 2015. Jennifer Gould Kell. accessed February 9, 2016
  5. Natalie Robehmed (January 14, 2014). "How To Pitch Successfully From Rapper-Turned-Entrepreneur Jesse Itzler". Forbes. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  6. Atlanta Hawks Agree to Sell Team to Antony Ressler-Grant Hill Group. USA Today.Jeff Zillgitt. April 22, 2015. accessed February 9, 2016
  7. Atlanta Jewish Times: "Jewish Investor Buying Hawks" by David R. Cohen April 29, 2015
  8. Best, Neil (May 25, 2021). "He wrote the Knicks' 'Go New York' anthem of the mid-1990s. Now, Long Island's Jesse Itzler co-owns the Hawks". Newsday.
  9. Kroll, Chana (July 20, 2009). "Jewish News: '100-Mile Man' Funds Educational Center for Underprivileged Children". Chabad.org.
  10. Billboard Hot 100 Original: Week of February 01, 1992, Referenced: February 22, 2011
  11. "White Chicks Soundtrack". IMDB. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
  12. Erika Rasmusson Janes (November 1, 2004). "NBA Idol: An entrepreneur raps his way into the big leagues". CNN Money. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
  13. Executive Transactions. Street and Smith's Sports Business Daily. November 1, 2001. accessed February 9, 2016
  14. Billboard Magazine May 17, 1997 By Gina Van Der Viliet via Google Books accessed February 22, 2011
  15. Alphabet City Alums Soar After Selling Firm to SFX. Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal. Andy Bernstein. December 9, 2002. accessed February 9, 2016
  16. "This Rapper From The Nineties Has A Sick New Startup". Business Insider. November 11, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  17. Teresa Novellino (October 31, 2013). "Good music, great grub? Vowch it to friends, says Jesse Itzler". Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  18. American Booty. Forbes. Clare O'Connor. March 7, 2002. accessed February 9, 2016
  19. Following A Winner:Tracking The Investment Profile of Super Investor Isaac Blech.Reuters. Scott Matusow. September 20, 2012. accessed February 9, 2016
  20. Coca-Cola Finishes Purchase of Majority ZICO Stake. Bevnet. April 11, 2012. accessed February 9, 2016
  21. What You Learn Living One Month With a Navy SEAL. CBS News. November 9, 2015. accessed February 9, 2016
  22. "Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous". The New York Times. November 20, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  23. "Paperback Nonfiction". Los Angeles Times. November 20, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  24. Living with the Monks: What Turning off My Phone Taught Me about Happiness, Gratitude, and Focus. Center Street. 29 May 2018.
  25. "Jesse Itzler – the Leshne Agency".
  26. "Jesse Itzler".
  27. "NBA unanimously approves sale of Atlanta Hawks" (Press release). National Basketball Association. June 24, 2015. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  28. "Hawks finalizing sale with billionaire Antony Ressler". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  29. NBA: "Group Led By Tony Ressler Completes Purchase of Atlanta Hawks" June 25, 2015 | "Other investors include seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill, who will serve as Vice Chair of the Board, Townsquare Media Chair and CEO Steven Price, Clayton Dubilier & Rice partner Rick Schnall, and Spanx founder Sara Blakely and Marquis Jet co-founder Jesse Itzler, who are married"
  30. Bloomberg: "NBA Governors Approve $730 Million Hawks Sale to Ressler's Group" By Scott Soshnick and Zeke Faux June 24, 2015
  31. "Atlanta Hawks Sold to Ares' Ressler for $850 million, Group Includes Sara Blakely and Grant Hill". Atlanta Business Chronicle. April 24, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  32. Atlanta Hawks Selling for $850 Million. The Wall Street Journal. Ben Cohen. April 22, 2015. accessed February 9, 2016
  33. Abramson, Mitch (January 6, 2007). "Nothing's Impossible, Not Even 100 Miles in 24 Hours". Newsday. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  34. Parker, Christopher (August 17, 2012). "[RESULTS] Rojas, Anderson Win The 2012 SEA Paddle NYC". SUP Racer. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  35. Atlanta Weddings (Atlanta Magazine): Spanx inventor Sarah Blakely on her wedding day" by Vikki Locke Archived 2013-04-18 at the Wayback Machine October 18, 2008
  36. The Wall Street Journal (New York): "A Day in the Life of Spanx's Founder Sara Blakely" by Christopher Ross August 14, 2014
  37. The Observer (London): "Sara Blakely: a woman with a great grasp of figures" by Zoe Wood March 10, 2012
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