Author: ERINVH

NATO Attends the 2025 United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association Convention

From left to right: UDITOA Board Members, Jude Deleonardis (Delsea Drive-In), Donna Saunders (Saunders Theater Properties, LLC), John Vincent Jr. (Wellfleet Cinemas), Susan Kochevar (88 Drive-In Theatre), Ben Harroun (Harvest Moon Drive-In), and NATO Director of Membership and Global Affairs, Erin Von Hoetzendorff.

The National Association of Theatre Owners participated in the 2025 Annual UDITOA Convention held from January 27 to 30 in Kissimmee, Florida. The event gathered over 100 drive-in theater owners and operators, providing a platform for industry professionals to discuss trends, challenges, and innovations in the drive-in cinema sector.

Throughout the convention, attendees engaged in a variety of sessions and activities designed to enhance their operations and foster community. The schedule included discussions on topics such as family entertainment centers, alternative income streams, and the newly created DriveInsNearMe.com website. Technical workshops covered areas like DCP-O-Matic and playlist building, while marketing sessions focused on promoting independent and retro films.

The convention also featured networking opportunities, including a vendor trade show. NATO appreciates the opportunity to attend the UDITOA convention every year and reinforce the collaborative relationship between NATO and UDITOA, highlighting the importance of unity and shared knowledge in advancing the cinema exhibition industry.

NATO Technology Committee Leaders Meet with Studios

On Wednesday, August 7th, the NATO Technology Committee, represented by Matt Basford (Regal), Cynthia Pierce (AMC), Brock Bagby (B&B), Kirk Griffin (Harkins), Chris Johnson (Classic Cinemas), and Mark Latimer (AMC) spent a day in Los Angeles visiting with studio leaders at Disney, Universal, Warner Bros. and Paramount, as well as DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives). Michael O’Leary and Erin Von Hoetzendorff also joined the meetings.

The NATO delegation discussed important topics of mutual interest between exhibitors and studios regarding the ever-evolving landscape of cinema presentation technology. These meetings were a collaborative effort that recognizes the shared interest of exhibition and distribution to ensure that audiences continue to have the best moviegoing experiences in cinema auditoriums across the world. Topics ranged from captioning on trailers to immersive audio and high dynamic range images. Given the rapid pace of technological advancement in cinema, these were another set of constructive discussions, and something the tech committee plans to continue to build on in the future.

NATO members can tune in for a recap of the meetings and important technology updates from the Tech Committee leaders on Wednesday, August 21 at 9:30 am PT/12:30 pm ET. 

Harkins Theatres President & CEO Mike Bowers Appointed New Chair of The Cinema Foundation

The National Association of Theatre Owners/NATO has announced that Mike Bowers, President & CEO of Harkins Theatres, has been appointed as the new chair of its non-profit organization, The Cinema Foundation. Bowers takes over from Tim Handren, who recently retired as CEO of Santikos Theatres. Tori A. Baker, the CEO and President of the Salt Lake Film Society, will continue to lead as the Vice Chair of The Cinema Foundation.

With nearly 40 years in the theatre industry, Bowers has introduced groundbreaking innovations to the moviegoing experience and has led Harkins Theatres through significant growth and expansion from a local operator with six locations to the 5th highest grossing exhibitor in the United States and the highest performing company per location. In addition to his new role as the chair of The Cinema Foundation, Bowers is the Vice Chair of the NATO Executive Board, a member of The Greater Phoenix Leadership Council, on the committee for CEO’s Against Cancer for the American Cancer Society, a frequent consultant for the theatrical entertainment industry and a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.

“I’m thrilled to join the team behind The Cinema Foundation led by Bryan Braunlich with the goal of strengthening the cinema industry and engaging moviegoing audiences around the country,” says Bowers. “It’s a true honor to serve as the chair of this foundation for a great industry.”

“Mike is one of our most strategic, dedicated and passionate ambassadors for the cinema industry and for the importance of movie theatres as cornerstones serving our communities” says Bryan Braunlich, Executive Director of The Cinema Foundation. “We’re fortunate to have him as our chair.”

Since its inception, the Foundation has collaborated with NATO members, studios, vendors, partners and creatives to organize industry promotional events like National Cinema Day, National Popcorn Day and other programs bringing millions of film fans to theaters in overwhelming numbers.