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James Cruz, has seen
his life go from disadvantaged Brooklyn Boy to Mogul in the Making
- Winning is a habit for him because there is no other choice.
When his dreams of playing Major League Baseball suddenly were out
of reach because of a serious injury, James had to rethink his goals,
his life and a new winning strategy. Early on he knew he had the
drive and determination to strive in entertainment, after a year’s
time at Mercury Records he went from Assistant to Coordinator for
Urban Retail. His tenure at Mercury prepared him for his next move
over to Universal Music and Video - while at Universal he added
video retail and promotions to his credentials.
The world of opportunity was endless and James honed in on his talents
as he went after a career changing position at Reebok International.
James joined the Reebok Team at a time where urban sales slumped
in the shadow of the gigantic brand Nike was creating. While at
Reebok, Mr. Cruz created an immense network of contacts throughout
the United States and Internationally, which he utilized to manage
a promotional budget in excess of $250,000. James again brought
his insight and his never-ending courage to “think out of the
box” and assisted in making Reebok become a household choice
once again.
In August, 1998, James’ life saw a climax of change - he created
his successful marketing consulting company, Cruz Control and accepted
a position at Bad Boy Entertainment as National Promotions Director.
His talents in Radio, Retail, Artist Development, Brand Management
and Project Management were polished to a a level of expertise and
professionalism. While most individuals create a career in one area
and become experts in that single arena, James’ undeniable
command of various fields has made him a force to be reckoned.
Violator’s Chris Lighty and Mona Scott recognized those multi-talents
and offered James a home where he has been for almost two years.
His accomplishments at Violator have included creating VMG (Violator
Marketing Group) - VMG help propel “Blow” (a film by the
late Ted Demme) to urban cult status; and being an integral part
of the Violator Team which has seen a year of platinum sales, blockbuster
movies and groundbreaking endorsement deals.
Mr. Cruz’s accomplishments have been chronicled in E-Mixshow
Magazine, Urban Latino Magazine and Billboard Magazine. His expertise
has been called upon as a panelist for Mixshow Power Summit, Vibe,
Impact and Monitor. Most recently he was voted as one of the 100
Most Powerful Latinos in Entertainment and can often be found serving
as an inspirational speaker for young people around the city.
When James is not creating trend setting marketing strategies he
can be found at home with his loving and supportive wife, Lymarie
and their beautiful daughter Alexys. Mr. Cruz is a huge sports fan
and an avid fisherman, who is assured to always reel in the “big
fish” in and out of the boardroom...
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