Todd Kwait new Executive Director the Ohio Independent Film Festival
Independent Pictures, the parent organization of the Ohio Independent Film Festival, announces the creation and implementation of a new top position in the organization. Long standing board member and local filmmaker Todd Kwait has been named to the position of Executive Director with unanimous support. Mr. Kwait has a distinguished record of success as a business executive, a lawyer, a documentary filmmaker and a record producer. A dynamic and creative leader, Todd personifies the business manager with an entrepreneurial spirit that is the hallmark of today's global executive. With his leadership, Independent Pictures moves into the next stage of evolution during Cleveland's current artistic renaissance, expanding its community outreach, local filmmaker development, and exhibition of the best in local independent filmmaking at new and exciting venues throughout the area.
About Executive Director Todd Kwait:
Todd began his career as a lawyer in Cleveland, Ohio after graduating from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1984. Todd built a strong reputation in the legal community, first as a student intern with the honorable Judge Burt W. Griffin, of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, then as a lawyer with the firm, Keller, Scully and Williams, and, ultimately, as a partner in his own firm, specializing in environmental law, Weiss, Kwait & Associates. Todd's law career accelerated rapidly as he expertly represented injured plaintiffs who had been exposed to environmental toxins across the country. In 1991, Todd's firm was awarded the largest verdict, at the time, in Portage County in the case of Darvis v. GenCorp.
In 1994, Todd transitioned from the legal community to the corporate world in a move that resulted in the retail consulting firm, Kwait & Associates. Todd executed the launch of three extremely successful branded products, which today, are household names. Those products are Purell, the waterless hand sanitizer, the Spin Brush, an extremely popular battery operated power toothbrush, and Carbolite, a very successful line of low carb candy bars. Todd demonstrated his leadership and business savvy, ultimately transforming the private label, or store brands, in the chain drug industry. Todd spearheaded a successful evolution of the private label business model by forming alliances with contract manufacturing companies, offering a wide product assortment to chain drug retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Duane Reade, etc. and running the private label programs like branded companies. Todd's precision and attention to detail were key in the improvement of product formulations, product designs, packaging and promotional vehicles. Today, store brand sales, in the chain drug industry, continue to increase and currently exceed $80 billion in sales.
In 1998, Todd repositioned himself in the corporate world by investing in the private label manufacturing enterprise, Product Quest Manufacturing, Inc. Todd's managerial expertise and visionary leadership led to the company expanding their product offerings, increased their relationships with mass merchants to include Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Dollar General, Family Dollar and, penetrated the upscale market with Sephora and Ulta Cosmetics. Particularly notable, Todd opened international channels with Product Quest. He played a key role in the Lumene skin care line, out of Finland, becoming available at CVS. Todd's significant leadership role in setting the company's global strategic direction has resulted in Product Quest becoming a manufacturer for many European beauty companies.
Throughout his tenure in the chain drug industry, Todd was very active in the trade association, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS). It is a critical lobbying group on behalf of the chain drug store industry. Todd sat on the Retail Advisory Board (RAB), where he resurrected the board's function and relevance thereby enhancing the strength of the entire trade association. Todd's success on the board is unparalleled as he motivated fellow board members, redirected the board's mission to reflect current industry trends and consolidations. Todd credits his success to his grasp of the nuances of the board, his understanding of the relationships and roles of fellow board members and, ultimately, of their ability to effect change. Between 2008 and 2010, Todd served as the Chairman of the Retail Advisory Board. The board is made up of Fortune 500 companies such as Proctor & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, etc. Todd's distinguished position on the board was atypical for a small company.
Throughout his life, Todd has been passionate about music and film. This has always been much more than a hobby for him, as he has spent his life studying, observing ad continually learning about both art forms.
In 2005, in keeping with his strong entrepreneurial and creative spirit, Todd boldly ventured into filmmaking with the formation of his film company, Ezzie Films. Todd's first documentary film was a project with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Lovin' Spoonful founder, John Sebastian. The film, Chasin' Gus' Ghost (www.chasingusghost.com) was an award winning film and is the first of Todd's three documentary films. Todd's second documentary film is titled Vagabondo (www.vagabondomovie.com) and his third, and most recent film, For the Love of the Music (www.loveofthemusic.com), won the best documentary film at the Boston International Film Festival in April 2012. In addition, Todd has served on the board of directors of Independent Pictures since 1998; an organization which supports independent filmmakers.
Todd recently started his own record label, Kingswood Records (www.kingswoodrecords.bandcamp.com). He is releasing his third product and has several projects in development. The record label and the film company are true reflections of Todd's passion, energy and love of the arts. Todd's executive management skills and his prior legal background have been instrumental in his involvement and success in the entertainment industry.
About Independent Pictures and the Ohio Independent Film Festival:
What started out as the Off-Hollywood Flick Fest accepted its first film submissions in 1992 and held its first screenings in 1993 in a small store front in Tremont. While the name eventually changed to the Ohio Independent Film Festival, twenty years later the submission process remains the same: all films selected for screening at the OIFF are submitted by filmmakers. Independent Pictures is also the proud parent of the Ohio Independent Screenplay Contest, the Film Production Training Program, the Director of Photography Workshop, Fiscal Agent Sponsorship Program and more. The mission of Independent Pictures supports emerging and independent filmmakers by giving a voice to those that might not otherwise be heard.
Independent Pictures and the Ohio Independent Film Festival are funded in part by a grant from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and by Community Shares, a workplace giving organization that supports social justice issues. For information on the Ohio Independent Film Festival, please contact Artistic Director Bernadette Gillota at 216-926-6166 or Executive Director Todd Kwait at 216-496-7048.
