CEO & Founder
Stone Theatres
Charlotte, NC
Herman Stone, founder and CEO of Consolidated Theatres and lifetime film industry entrepreneur, has spent more than 45 years in the film industry, joining Consolidated Theatres in 1965 upon graduating from Pfeiffer College to handle booking, film buying and business development. A lifelong North Carolinian, he worked his way up through the ranks of the company to become president in 1986. After selling the business to Carmike Cinemas, Stone founded Consolidated Theatres, Inc. in 1990, which became the ninth largest theater chain in the U.S., operating 421 screens in 30 locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee. Stone then sold to Regal Entertainment Group in 2008; since then has formed a new theatre company, Stone Theatres, presently operating 30 screens in North Carolina and South Carolina, with a new location to open in the late fall of 2009.
He was appointed to the NC Film Council by Governor Michael F. Easley in 2003 and in 2009 was re-appointed by Governor Bev Perdue to serve a third, three-year term on the council. Stone led the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) for two terms as Regional President from 1982-1986 and continues today to serve on the Board of Directors. He was named “Statesman of the Year” at the 2003 ShoWest Conference. December 2008, has been awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed by the Governor in the state of North Carolina. The prestigious award is presented to individuals who have shown outstanding service to the state through remarkable career achievement and public service.
Stone’s dedication to the theatre business mirrors his commitment to public service as he has been widely recognized for his significant philanthropic and financial support of many organizations over the years. A passionate supporter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, he helped organize many fundraisers for a regional chapter of the nonprofit organization and recently worked to help establish the MS Research Lab at the new North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. He continues to support the MS Research Lab by the development of his website www.msgiants.org to help raise funds to find a cure for this disease that has affected over 350,000 in the United States. Stone’s additional charitable outreach has included organizations such as the Charlotte Regional Film Partnership, the Make-a-Wish foundation, and numerous local churches and charities.