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About Todd Wagner Todd Wagner profile: Heart of a Champion
Wagner serves on the national Board of Directors of the After-School All-Stars (formerly Inner-City Games), a foundation championed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that provides year-round technology, academic, sports and cultural programs for children in the nation's inner cities. Wagner's commitment to the After-School All-Stars earned him the distinguished honor of Man of the Year in 2000. In July 2001, Wagner launched the All-Stars program in Dallas, the 15th city to join this national organization. Since its 2001 launch, the Dallas chapter has reached more than 8,600 children with 50 programs ranging from chess and art classes to golf and book clubs. Wagner developed the breakthrough MIRACLES technology program, a groundbreaking initiative to provide a comprehensive after-school program for inner-city children. The program, which follows a structured curriculum and is instructor-led and outcome-based, currently operates in seven cities across the country in conjunction with the national After-School All-Stars. The intense multi-year program begins in 6th grade and continues through high-school graduation. Wagner’s success in business has fueled a desire to give back to his community by supporting minority entrepreneurs through a Minority Technology Fund. This entity provides funding and resources to minority-owned, technology-focused businesses based in Dallas. The Fund has made investments in three Dallas companies: Imaginuity Interactive, a Web site development firm; Abstract Concepts, developer of African-American communities Ebonymate.com and Dallasblack.com; and rocKnot, a software development firm. The Foundation has sponsored bringing a KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) charter school to Dallas. In Fall 2003, KIPP Truth Academy opened, where students develop the knowledge, skills and character needed to succeed in top-quality high schools, colleges and the competitive world beyond. In addition to his nonprofit efforts, Wagner currently co-owns and manages a group of vertically-integrated entertainment properties that includes movie production companies 2929 Productions and HDNet Films, theatrical and home video distributor Magnolia Pictures, the Landmark Theatres art-house chain and high-definition cable channels HDNet and HDNet Movies. Among the films he has brought to the big screen are the critically acclaimed drama "Akeelah and the Bee" and "Good Night, and Good Luck," which earned six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. He is currently working on several "passion projects", including "The Chosen Few," a film about a Korean war battle, which Wagner will produce under the 2929 Productions banner. Wagner was recently honored by the independent film community with a prestigious Gotham Award Tribute. Todd Wagner co-founded Broadcast.com in September of 1995, and as CEO led the company to becoming the leading destination for audio and video programming on the Internet. After broadcast.com was acquired by Yahoo! for 5.7 billion dollars in 1999, Wagner led the division as Yahoo! Broadcast until May 2000, when he declined an offer to become Yahoo!’s Chief Operating Officer to focus on his current interests. In recognition of his philanthropic efforts, Wagner has been honored as national Kappa Sigma Man of the Year (2003), Dallas CASA's "Champion of Kids" (2005) and Social Entrepreneur of the Year (2002) by Dallas’ Center for Nonprofit Management. He was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees of the American Film Institute. He has delivered speeches at dozens of business and technology conferences, has appeared on CNBC and CNN and has been featured in leading publications including the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, New York Times, Business Week and Variety. For more information: |
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Todd Wagner is founder of the Todd Wagner Foundation and co-owner and Chief Executive Officer of 2929 Entertainment. Wagner created the Todd Wagner Foundation in 2000, with a mission to improve the lives of at-risk children and inner-city entrepreneurs. He currently focuses his support on several key programs: Dallas After-School All-Stars in partnership with the Dallas YMCA, MIRACLES, a Minority Technology Fund and KIPP TRUTH Academy.