James L. Dolan

As executive chairman of The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG), James L. Dolan oversees the company's many entities, including its world-famous arena complex, professional sports teams, sports and entertainment networks, and historic showplaces. Mr. Dolan also serves as president and chief executive officer of Cablevision Systems Corporation, one of the nation's leading media and telecommunications companies.

In his role at The Madison Square Garden Company, Mr. Dolan is responsible for the company's overall growth strategy and manages all of its operations. He also serves as governor to the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League on behalf of the New York Knicks and Rangers.

To ensure the standing of the company's premier venues, Mr. Dolan has taken on a number of restoration projects throughout his tenure. The MSG Arena is currently undergoing a complete transformation that will significantly enhance the experience of customers, athletes, entertainers, suite holders and partners. Mr. Dolan was also the catalyst for a restoration of the company's Beacon Theatre, which was renewed to its former grandeur in early 2009. Among his most significant accomplishments as MSG chairman, Mr. Dolan spearheaded a multimillion-dollar restoration of Radio City Music Hall, returning the national landmark and MSG showpiece to its original splendor.

Over the past few years, Mr. Dolan has taken additional steps to expand MSG's entertainment properties. They include the addition of The Chicago Theatre, which was built in 1921 as one of the country's most opulent motion picture houses. MSG also extended its music business, acquiring a minority-equity interest in Front Line Management, which was recently acquired by Live Nation, the world's largest live entertainment company.

Mr. Dolan has led the company's response to local and national tragedies. He played a principal role in organizing "The Concert For New York City," which generated more than $35 million in aid for 9/11 victims and heroes, and "From The Big Apple to The Big Easy," which raised nearly $9 million for Hurricane Katrina relief. Mr. Dolan also supports The Madison Square Garden Company's ongoing commitment to the community, particularly through the Garden of Dreams Foundation, the non-profit charity that works closely with all areas at the company to help children throughout the New York metropolitan area.

In addition to his leadership role at The Madison Square Garden Company, Mr. Dolan is chief executive of Cablevision Systems Corporation, which served as MSG's parent company until February 2010, when the sports, media and entertainment business became a standalone, public company. Mr. Dolan oversees Cablevision's comprehensive portfolio of advanced telecommunications services: iO TV digital television, Optimum Voice digital voice, Optimum Online high-speed Internet and Optimum WiFi, the nation's largest wireless Internet network.

Also under his purview, and serving the New York tri-state area, are the company's local media properties, which include News 12 Networks, MSG Varsity and Newsday Media Group, which features Long Island's leading daily newspaper, Newsday. Other businesses under the Cablevision umbrella include Clearview Cinemas, one of the tri-state area’s leading motion picture exhibitors.

Prior to assuming his present posts at Cablevision and The Madison Square Garden Company, Mr. Dolan was CEO of Rainbow Media Holdings, the former Cablevision programming subsidiary that became a separate, public company named AMC Networks Inc. in June 2011. Mr. Dolan began his career with Cablevision in the 1970s and served in a variety of executive positions before overseeing Rainbow Media.

Mr. Dolan serves on the board of directors for The Madison Square Garden Company and AMC Networks, and he is a member of Cablevision's board of directors and its executive committee. He is also on the board of The Lustgarten Foundation, an organization he helped found in 1998, which today is the nation's largest private supporter of pancreatic cancer research. In addition, he sits on the boards of Live Nation, the New York University Steinhardt Dean's Council and the Breathe Easy Play Hard Foundation.