Speaker Thom Beers - Realscreen West 2016
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows | Santa Monica, CA | June 8 – 10, 2016

Speaker Thom Beers

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Thom Beers

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Thom Beers, a three-time Emmy winner, is one of unscripted television's most successful, prolific and influential producers.

For the past 8 months he has been traveling the globe: riding a bicycle around Cuba, hiking the mountains of Myanmar, exploring the cenotes of Tulum, flying hot air balloons in San Miguel and running a Spartan race in Singapore in search of new inspirations. Most recently, Beers was CEO of FremantleMedia North America (FMNA), where he was responsible for the overall management and business performance of FMNA and its portfolio of companies, including Original Productions and 495 Productions. Within these, Beers oversaw the development, production and business operations of over 600 hours of network, cable, syndicated and digital programming. These programs included American Idol (FOX), America’s Got Talent (NBC), Family Feud (syndictaed), Let’s Make A Deal (CBS), The Price Is Right (CBS), The Great Christmas Light Fight (ABC), Deadliest Catch (Discovery), Married to Medicine (Bravo), Party Down South (CMT), Ice Road Truckers (HISTORY), Storage Wars (A&E), The Returned (A&E) and Celebrity Name Game (syndicated) among others.

Prior to joining FMNA, Beers was Chief Executive Officer and Executive Producer of Original Productions. He was the driving force behind the Primetime Emmy® and Producer’s Guild of America Award-winning Deadliest Catch. His top rated signature series included Ice Road Truckers, Ax Men, Monster Garage, Black Gold, Storage Wars and Coal. Since founding Original Productions in 1997, Beers’ catalog of more than 40 series is firmly entrenched across cable powerhouses History, Discovery, Spike TV, The National Geographic Channel, truTV and A&E.

Beers’ signature show was the mega hit series Deadliest Catch. Deadliest Catch is Discovery’s highest-rated series and has been honored with 13 Primetime Emmy® Awards including Outstanding Reality Program in 2011 and Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program in 2014 and 2015.

In 2009, he sold a majority stake of his company to FremantleMedia. The deal allowed him to travel the world with his one-of-a kind vision, telling stories about true working class heroes. Beers’ passion for honoring every day heroes and his gift for telling their stories firmly established Original Productions as television’s number one creator of unscripted programming.

Beers founded Original Productions in 1997, after 11 years as a production executive and series and special producer for Turner Broadcasting in Atlanta and a similar position in Los Angeles at Paramount Pictures. At Turner, he oversaw the award-winning National Geographic Explorer, Network Earth, the Jacques Cousteau specials and Wild!Life Adventures. He was also the producer of some of the highest-rated specials in the history of Turner Original Productions, including Harley Davidson: The American Motorcycle, Cats And Dogs and The Incredible Life and Times of Robert L. Ripley, Believe It or Not.

Beers hails from Batavia in upstate New York. He began his career as an actor performing in stage productions along the eastern seaboard and in New York City. Today, Beers is still utilizing his acting skills by delivering the powerful narration for many of Original Productions’ series. He’s a devoted father and husband, an avid car collector and motorcycle enthusiast.

Speaking on: Meet a Mentor: Thom Beers (2:00 - 2:45)

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