Richard Iott

Rich Iott’s story kicks off in Ohio, bagging groceries for his dad’s little shop when he was just a kid—eighth grade, not even old enough to drive. Fast-forward a few decades, he’s running the joint, turning that small-town store into a regional grocery beast: 75 stores, 4,500 employees, and raking in almost $750 million a year. Not bad for a guy who started with a broom and a time clock. Retirement? Yeah, right. Iott bounced into a bunch of other gigs—real estate, planes, Mexican snacks, even a distillery. But, let’s be honest, his heart was always in movies. Back in high school, he and his buddies shot weird little Civil War epics with actual horses and homemade uniforms. Pyrotechnics, muskets, the whole nine yards. Total chaos, probably a blast. His daughter ended up at USC film school, which opened the indie film floodgates for Rich. He dove in with Deal (think Burt Reynolds and Jennifer Tilly at the card table), cranked out SyFy hits like Hallowed Ground and Yeti: Curse of the Snow Demon, and then launched Braeburn Entertainment to make family-friendly stuff like Call of the Wild 3D—no animation, just real actors, and a bunch of dogs. He kept at it, teaming up for Goldrush Entertainment, backing award-winning flicks like Beautiful Boy, plus a string of thrillers, slashers, and Lifetime dramas—Carjacked, Insight, Imaginary Friend, Lost After Dark, the works. Oh, and he’s big on supporting up-and-coming filmmakers, especially from his Midwest roots. The guy just doesn’t quit.