(CelebrityAccess MediaWire)–
Producer Lee Rolontz has been promoted to senior vice president, Original Music Production for VH1. Rolontz, a 20-year veteran of the music and entertainment industry, will be responsible for overseeing and producing all original music events as well as developing new cornerstone events.
Rolontz was promoted from vice president, Original Music Production. During that time she served as executive producer on VH1 events including "The Concert for New York City," "VH1 Big Awards," "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" and many others. Over the past four years, she developed and executive produced new franchises for the channel such as "Hip Hop Honors," which reached nearly seven million viewers, "A Kid Rock Christmas" and helped to recreate and reinvigorate "VH1 Storytellers."
"Lee's exceptional expertise and extensive knowledge of television event production is unparalleled. Her creative vision continues to bring VH1 events to the highest level of success and professionalism," said Christina Norman, VH1 president. "In her new role, Lee will continue to develop and produce innovative high profile artist-driven events that build off of our music and pop culture focus."
Prior to joining VH1 in 2001, Rolontz worked with major broadcast and cable networks including ABC, PBS, DirecTV and CBS, producing events and documentaries for Roger Waters, Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Shania Twain, Sting and the Dave Matthews Band.
In 1995 Rolontz worked at Sony Music Entertainment where she created and was general manager of Automatic Productions, Sony's sole in-house production company. While there, she was responsible for turning the fledging operations into a successful independent production entity. That yearshe and her team produced "Blood Brothers," a Grammy-nominated program that chronicled the reunion of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. She also developed and produced A&E's "Live By Request" and "Mi Gente My People" for syndication.
Prior to being tapped to spearhead Automatic Productions, Rolontz served as vice president of Video Productions for Columbia Records Group where she oversaw the production of all music videos and visual productions for Columbia Records and other associated labels.
Rolontz began her career as a freelance producer for various music videos and commercials which included traveling to China with pop band Wham and assisting director Lindsey Anderson in the filming and editing of "Wham in China" in London. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
