Alumni Profiles is an ongoing series highlighting successful graduates who, with a SUNY education, achieved interesting and influential careers.

Richard L. Gelfond is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IMAX Corporation. He has been a senior executive at IMAX since he and his partner Bradley J. Wechsler acquired the company in 1994. IMAX, the pioneer and leader of the giant-screen theater industry, provides projection technology, marketing and brand support, in addition to production and distribution, for large format films. In 1996, Mr. Gelfond and Mr. Wechsler accepted an Academy Award for Scientific and Technical Achievement on behalf of IMAX.

The company has created an international commercial market for the giant-screen medium and, thanks to its efforts, as of September 2012 there are 697 IMAX theaters in 52 countries. The recently developed technology, IMAX DMR, can be used to repurpose traditional Hollywood films into its giant screen format.

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