The Effingham Chamber will host a Lunch ‘n Learn meeting Tuesday starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Mars Theatre in Springfield, featuring the CEO of Moon River Studios Jake Shapiro. Shapiro will give the community an update on the studio’s plans to build in Effingham County.
Shapiro has served as a founder or co-founder of several technology and commercial product companies and has helped structure and/or finance companies in Asia, South America, Australia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and North America.
He has a record of raising tens of millions of dollars in the entertainment industry, and hundreds of millions of dollars throughout his career.
Shapiro is also a former principal and vice president from M.H. Meyerson & Company, where he served as a senior equities trader, specializing in domestic arbitrage, and servicing clients such as Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers and Deutsche Bank.
Shapiro graduated with honors from Rutgers University, where he received his bachelor’s degree and master of business administration. He also attended the National University of Singapore, and studied with Columbia University in Shanghai, China.
In June, he was named CEO of Medient Studios. He has been a featured athlete by Fox Sports during the televised New York City Triathlon, and is the father of triplet daughters.
The studio is changing its name from Medient to Moon River Studios and is planning to shoot its first movie in the area, a horror film called “Rest in Peace,” soon.
This is open to the public, although there is a charge of $12 for Chamber members and $15 for visitors. Lunch will be provided. RSVPs for lunch are needed.