WISCONSIN (NBC 26) — If you enjoy watching movies on the big screen, there’s a good chance you’ve probably seen a film at one of the Marcus Theatres locations across Northeast Wisconsin.
That’s the group that owns theaters like Bay Park Cinema in Ashwaubenon and Valley Grand Cinema in Appleton.
The group owns several others nationwide and statewide. In fact, it's the nation's 4th largest cinema chain. You can click here to see a list of all locations.
As we continue to highlight Latinos in our community for Hispanic Heritage Month we introduce you to the businessman who is a top leader of that movie chain.
Meet Rolando Rodriguez. He’s the chairman, president, and CEO of Marcus Theatres.
“Who would think that a kid from Cuba would’ve ended up in a colder climate I would say than I was used to,” Rodriguez said.
The man who immigrated to the United States when he was 11-years-old came with his family fleeing the communist regime.
Watch the video below to learn a little more about his story:
He now lives in Wisconsin, has a beautiful family, and is a leader for Marcus Theatres.
Each day he also brings his Latino perspective to the table.
“One of the reasons of really getting into this industry is that in Cuba you basically went swimming, playing baseball and you went to the movies with the family,” Rodriguez said.
His passion for the cinema is what has kept him going throughout his career.
Today Rodriguez may be seen wearing a suit and tie, making important decisions, but it's also important to note he started from the ground up.
“So frankly when we got to the states one of the funnest jobs I could find was working at the movie theater at the age of 15. So basically tearing tickets and working at the concession stands,” Rodriguez said.
The man of humble beginnings has never forgotten where he came from, making each milestone he’s ever achieved even more rewarding.
“I know what it’s like to be poor. In Cuba many times my entire meal for the day was a piece of bread with sugar,” Rodriguez said.
When he first arrived in the U.S., he says he witnessed the hard work from his parents as they began to cultivate the foundations for a better future.
“My parents were obviously no means, barely any clothing, barely any money and we basically lived in the projects, so for two years we lived in the projects. And I watched my parents through multiple jobs each raise enough money and they bought their first home. $11,000 dollars furnished after two years,” Rodriguez said.
Seeing his parent’s sweat and tears allowed him to see what opportunities could come out of hard work and dedication.
“It's been a great journey for a Latino and a Hispanic to obviously reach what I think is a pinnacle position. Not an easy one but you know what nothing in life is easy and certainly, I would tell you that before getting here there were a lot of barriers along the way and certainly a lot of roads to cross,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez shares that from his experience it's not too common to see other Latinos in these types of positions of power.
Moving forward he hopes to continue showing young people that they can aspire to do bigger and better things.
He believes they just need to be inspired just as he once was.
