Greater Talent Network
| Founded | 1981 in New York City, New York, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Founder | Don Epstein |
| Headquarters | New York City |
Greater Talent Network (also known as GTN) was an American speakers bureau based in New York and is currently owned by United Talent Agency. GTN was known for its roster of prominent clients, including authors Nicholas Sparks, Ben Shapiro, Michael Lewis, P.J. O'Rourke and Jeffrey Toobin; actors Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo and Danny Glover; musicians Paula Abdul and Harry Belafonte; Navy SEALs Marcus Luttrell and Kevin Lacz; athletes Alex Rodriguez and Apolo Ohno; sports executives Billy Beane and Bob Myers; national security experts Raymond Kelly, Richard Clarke, and General Wesley Clark; finance/technology disruptor Dan Schulman, and Daniele Weisberg and Carly Zakin, founders of theSkimm.[1]
History
In September 2017, GTN was acquired by global talent and entertainment company United Talent Agency.
GTN was founded in 1981 by Don Epstein. In the early days, its agency was known for representing such controversial icons as Hunter Thompson, Abbie Hoffman and Timothy Leary,[2] whom Epstein befriended as a high school student in Miami.[3] (Hoffman et al. were in Miami Beach protesting the Republican National Convention.) By the 1990s, the roster had expanded to include politicians and political commentators, both liberal and conservative, starting with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and, after serving under the Clinton Administration, former Attorney General Janet Reno. In the mid-2000s, with technology, innovation, and business speakers in high demand, GTN added Silicon Valley CEOs and trend forecasters to its list.
Notable clients
- Nicholas Sparks
- Ben Shapiro
- Anthony Zuiker
- Paula Abdul
- Billy Beane
- Carl Bernstein
- Wesley Clark
- Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, founders of Ben & Jerry's
- Sebastian Junger
- Raymond Kelly
- Michael Lewis
- Laura Linney
- Marcus Luttrell
- Marlee Matlin
- Bob Myers
- Bennet Omalu
- Ron Paul
- Mo Rocca
- Alec Ross
- P.J. O'Rourke
- Mark Ruffalo
- Dan Schulman
- Nicholas Sparks
- Jeffrey Toobin
- Leigh Anne Tuohy
- Jose Antonio Vargas
- Jennifer Weiner
References
- ^ Feinsand, Mark. "Alex Rodriguez signs with Greater Talent Network agency". New York Daily News. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ^ Gardner, Eriq. "How Hot Hollywood Properties Add Up to Big Paydays on the Speech Circuit". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
- ^ "Speakers' Agent Don Epstein: How Did I Get Here?". Bloomberg. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
External links