JeffBenson
Jeffrey P. Benson, CPA, is a serial entrepreneur and business builder. Jeff is the founder and CEO of Cinergy Cinemas, a growing regional theatre circuit currently with two locations in Texas. Each Cinergy Cinemas location combines family entertainment center amenities such as laser tag, arcades, miniature golf, and go karts with state-of-the-art theatre amenities such as first-run movies, stadium seating, and a full menu of restaurant quality food items including beer and wine. Prior to founding Cinergy Cinemas, Jeff and his wife Jamie, founded the Movie Tavern chain of cinema eateries. While CEO of Movie Tavern, he was a pioneer of the dine-in theatre concept that has since caught fire nationwide. The first Movie Tavern opened in Fort Worth in 2001. In 2005, Jeff recapitalized the company by entering into a joint venture with the founder and Chairman of Cinemark USA, the third largest theatre operator. Under Jeff’s leadership, Movie Tavern became the largest and fastest growing operator of cinema eateries in the country. Jeff and his wife Jamie sold their interest in Movie Tavern in 2008. At the time of the sale, Movie Tavern operated 110 screens in 14 complexes in 5 states and had annual revenues of approximately $50 million. Jeff started his career with the CPA firm of Deloitte & Touche in 1992 where he worked with a variety of publicly-traded and privately-held companies. He performed extensive work on SEC filings, due diligence projects, and attestation services for his clients. It was, however, during his engagement as Audit Manager on Silver Cinemas in 1997 that he got “stung by the theatre bug” and decided to go into business for himself—building his first theatre in 1999. From 1990 to 1992, he was a staff consultant with the CPA firm, Grant Thornton, in its bank consulting practice. Jeff was born in Dallas, Texas and graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1987. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of North Texas in 1992 by earning a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Science in Auditing from the University of North Texas. He is a Certified Public Accountant in Texas. He is a board member of the National Association of Theatre Owners (“NATO”) of Texas, as well as a board member of national NATO. His wife, Jamie Larkin Benson, graduated from UNT in 1996 with her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Science in Taxation. Jeff and Jamie have two children: Troy and Braden.