Ruben Arizpe
Ruben Arizpe Jr. (born February 28, 1962) is an American financier of film and politics. Arizpe's work has spanned from fund raising over $10million for former California Governor Gray Davis and President Bill Clinton, to raising a $2.7 Billion fund for Petronet to representing funds for investment in films.
Early life and education
Arizpe was born in El Paso, Texas, son of Guadalupe Arizpe (née Martinez), and Ruben Baltazar Arizpe Sr., an artist. Arizpe's interest in film took root early in his life but took a back seat to his military service when he joined the Army at age 21, in 1980, through the Arizona State University, Military Enlisted College Program. After being wounded in battle and an honorable discharge, Arizpe completed his Telecommunications Engineering Degree at Duke University in 1988.
Career
Arizpe has been involved in fund raising for the Democratic National Party, raising over 10 million dollars for President Bill Clinton and California Governor Gray Davis during which he became a member of Bill Clinton's "Saxophone Club." Arizpe then became re-acquainted with life-long friends who were managers of large Hedge Funds and Asset Management firms. He was asked to represent these funds for investment in films, and also involved himself with physical production in order to better understand the film process. It was during this time that he was associated with Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Disney Studios as a Director of Contract Finance.
Between 1990 and 1996, Arizpe was involved in the creation and development of many different finance scenarios for filmmakers. He also arranged and was granted a 2.7 billion-dollar construction fund for a company called Petronet. Petronet was a large-scale fiber optic loop connecting every major city in the United States, utilizing oil and gasoline rights of way. Petronet's partners were Lucent Technologies who funded and pledged dark fiber optic cable, and Cisco Systems who funded and provided the optics and routers. Both companies have a vested interest in Petronet.
Arizpe raised 150 Million Dollars for a film fund in 2004 which was noted in the AP News wire and was recently offered a position with Senator McCain’s election staff as a senior fund raiser with a guaranteed position as an aide to the President of the United States if McCain were elected.
He is currently the President and CEO of Infinite Filmed Entertainment, Inc. A production company whose mission is to fund, produce, and acquire outstanding entertainment properties while providing an effective way of financing films and other entertainment projects using both traditional and more effective financing strategies.
IFE's first film, War Monkeys, is scheduled to start production by late spring, 2009.
Filmography
- War Monkeys (Pre-Production 2009) (Executive Producer)
- Cold Hearts (1999) (dolly grip)
- Horse Whisperer, The(1998) (contract finance executive:Buena Vista Pictures/Touchstone)
- Deep Impact (1996)(director of contract finance: Paramount Pictures)
- High School High (1996)(director of contract finance: Paramount Pictures)
- Bottle Rocket (1996)(director of contract finance: Paramount Pictures)
- Bob Roberts (1996)(director of contract finance: Paramount Pictures)
- Jerry Maguire (1996) (finance director: Sony Pictures)
- Cable Guy, The (1996) (finance director: Sony Pictures)
- Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1995) (grip)
- Sliders (1995) (special effects assistant)
- M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994)(special effects supervisor)