Geno Taylor

Geno's professional career started in 1987 with Gallo Wine Company as a salesman. Additionally he performed similar employment at Ciba Giegy Pharmaceuticals and at Bristol Meyers Squibb where he received several sales awards. In 1991 he moved to Paul Sundries where he quickly advanced from Sales Manager to VP of Sales & Marketing. He achieved this by acquiring such accounts as Ralph's, Vons, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Thrifty, Payless Drugs and Sally's Beauty Supply. Overall He increased revenues at Paul Sundries from $4 million dollars to $11 million dollars and when he left the organization he was Vice President of the company. In 1994 Carson Products hired him as the West Coast Regional Manager and in 1994 he also started his own business, ETMA Sales. ETMA Sales represented several of the industries leading African American hair care products. In 1998 he purchased two retail beauty supply stores, which he was able to sell for a profit in 2002. His entrepreneurial and desire for the entertainment industry lead him to producing and acting in films. In 1996 his film "The Spartan" was accepted in the Sundance Film Festival and received praises. After this he spent three years trying to finance a cross-audience dark comedy produced and directed by African American filmmakers. Hollywood did not believe in this type of film project, yet his sales skills prevailed and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) stepped up to give him the opportunity to complete the film. The financing for the film, `The Gristle", prove to be a ground breaking event both for the film industry and the SBA. He was the first producer to ever receive the support of the SBA in financing a feature length film. During 2000 the publicity generated by "The Gristle" and the "runaway production" phenomena led the SBA, with his assistance and expertise, to develop a pilot financing program for Domestic Filmmakers. Geno spear headed this pilot program for the SBA and created Public Eye Entertainment to funnel film projects of other producers as well as his own film projects through the programs process. Public Eye Entertainment assisted filmmakers in obtaining funds from the SBA to complete their films. Geno worked for the company as CEO/President for 18 months. From day one the Bush administration put the program on turn around, initially making it almost impossible to process a loan, to eventually terminating the program. Good-bye Public Eye Entertainment!!! His personal film "The Gristle" currently airs on domestic television through Home Box Office Inc (HBO) and Starz/Encore, Warner Brothers (WHV) currently distributes Video/ DVD. He also obtained foreign distribution for the film with Allied Entertainment. In mid 2004, in partnership with Mr. Danny Rodriguez, he established BellaVic Entertainment, a production and distribution company, positioning it to acquire, distribute and produce films in the U.S. A three year output deal has been executed with Lightyear/Warner Home video. Also Geno and Rodriguez have finished in November of 2004 the principal photography of "The Devil Inside" starring Danny Trejo(Spy Kids, Desperado), B-Real (Platinum Hip-Hop lead rapper of Cypress Hill), that now is in advanced stages of post-production.