Steve Mensch, president and general operations manager of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, has died. He is 62 years old.
Mensch died in a plane crash in Florida on Friday night. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, police responded to a single-engine fixed-wing aircraft crash on West White Dogwood Boulevard near the intersection of US-98 in Homosassa, Florida. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death is under investigation.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend Steve Mensch,” Tyler Perry Studios said in a statement. “For more than eight years, Steve has been a cherished member of our team. , and was so loved by the Atlanta community. It’s hard to imagine not seeing his smile throughout the hall. Our thoughts are with his family and our prayers are with them.
He joined the studio in 2016 and helped oversee the studio’s transition from Greenbrier, Georgia, to the Fort McPherson military base in Atlanta, which was later transformed into a 330-acre film and television production facility. According to the Tyler Perry Studios website, the site is one of the largest in the country and includes 12 purpose-built soundstages, 200 acres of green space and diverse backlots.
Mensch managed the day-to-day operations of the studio, considered the first major motion picture studio on the East Coast. After becoming company president, he became an important figure in the Georgia business community and served on the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He is also a founding member and president of the Georgia Screened Entertainment Alliance and serves on the boards of several arts organizations in the state, according to his LinkedIn message.
Prior to joining Tyler Perry Studios, the executive served as president of Third Rail Studios in Atlanta, where he led the studio’s operations, sales, technical design, staffing and budgeting. He also served for nine years as director of studio and location operations and director of strategic production partnerships at Turner Broadcasting.
Tyler Perry wrote in his tribute: “It’s that time of year when grief comes like an uninvited guest because tomorrow marks the 15th anniversary of my mother’s death. It feels especially hard because I’ve lost so many friends and family this year. Mentors, ranging in age from 40 to 92 years old.
“I spent the whole day trying to understand this tragedy – what happened to that plane. Steve loved flying, he loved that plane; he was very proud of it. Steve Mensch ) was truly a kind soul and a great leader in the studio. We all adored him, but we are devastated by his passing. My prayers go out to his family as we all struggle to understand this. Heartbreaking stuff,” he continued. “Life is but a moment; we are like vapor. Hold on to the ones you love and tell them!
Menche is survived by his wife and three children.
