Stept Studios, a creative, and production studio based in Los Angeles and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has brought Meredith Rodriguez on board as head of sales, marketing and development, and Paul Muhlbach as a brand account executive. Previously, Rodriguez was the VP of sales and interactive marketing at Fresno, Inc., a Los Angeles start-up entertainment studio. Before that, she spent four years at Pinterest, within the partnerships team, joining as the first employee in L.A. and was responsible for building its presence in the market and partnerships with some of the largest global advertisers. Previously she was VP of content solutions at Demand Media and held sales and consumer marketing roles at Microsoft and MusicMatch. In addition to sales and marketing teams, Rodriguez will lead development for Stept’s film and TV projects. Muhlbach as brand account exec at Stept works directly with clients on branded content, production and post needs. Muhlbach has produced content at agencies and studios including CP+B, Stink, and B-Reel, in which he worked with global brands such as YouTube Music, WeTransfer and Jose Cuervo across a range of media and platforms….
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More