Aggregated Information about Sean Wolfington

Facebook Aids Limited-Release Film’s Cinderella Story

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:30:27 +0000

Click here for the link to original article

Posted by David Cohen on October 31st, 2011 11:50 AM

Sony Pictures and Tier10 Marketing drove The Mighty Macs to become the top-grossing limited-release film last weekend, with a little help from Facebook and Rudy Ruettiger.

The Mighty Macs is based on the true story of the 1971 to 1972 Immaculata College women’s basketball team, which barely made the first-ever championship tournament in their sport, and went on to win that trophy, as well as the next two, followed by appearances in the three championship games after that, marking six title-game berths in a row.

Lacking the budget to mount a big television campaign, Tier10 Marketing targeted Facebook users who listed similar underdog-makes-good sports movies, such as Rudy and Hoosiers, among their favorites.

Tier10 Marketing owner Sean Wolfington added, “The Mighty Macs began as a limited release in less than 1,000 theaters, so we targeted Facebook users who live within driving distance of the theaters that are showing our film.”

Rudy, mentioned above, tells the story of Ruettiger, who beat the odds to become a walk-on player on the Notre Dame football team.

Ruettiger loved The Mighty Macs, calling it “the Rudy of this generation,” and volunteered to promote the film via a short video clip in which he was interviewed and said, “If you liked Hoosiers and Rudy, you will love The Mighty Macs.”

Facebook users who listed Rudy among their favorite films then received the video featuring Ruettiger and were encouraged to share it with their friends.

Wolfington added:

If you know what a Facebook user’s favorite films have been in the past, you can predict what their favorite films will be in the future. Most films are marketed through giant TV campaigns. Because this movie didn’t have the budget, we created a “Targeted TV” campaign that reached consumers who have the highest statistical probability of showing up at the theater for this type of inspirational sports film with a message they cannot deny.

We call the second half of the campaign “Social TV” because users who like the Ruettiger video can share it with all of their friends, and then the whole process repeats itself indefinitely. When Targeted TV becomes “Viral TV” with the click of a button, it is a very effective way to attract customers who have the highest statistical probability of going to see The Mighty Macs. Traditional TV can’t target to that level of detail today, and consumers can’t like and share commercials the way they can with videos online. This is the future of marketing. It’s amazing.

Readers: Would a video promoting a movie shared by a friend prompt you to consider seeing that film?

Click here for the link to original article

Sean Wolfington Recognized as “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Haute Living Magazine

admin — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:13:35 +0000

Serial Entrepreneur
By Meredith Mulligan on June 16th, 2010

Photography by Craig Denis

Sean Wolfington was destined to be a pioneer. One of those self-motivated leaders who forges paths for the development of unchartered industries. One of those self-taught types who revolutionizes industries through brilliant insight and an ahead-of-the-game mentality. That is who Sean Wolfington was meant to be, and at just 39 years old, he has become all of that and more. Wolfington’s résumé runs the gamut from CEO of Wolfington Companies, film producer, digital marketing expert, and automotive pioneer, to all-around family man. He is an entrepreneur in every sense of the word, with experience in the realms of technology, finance, real estate, film, auto, and charity.

The great, great grandson of one of the first carriage makers in the automotive industry, Wolfington’s entrepreneurial gene is inherent. His grandfather owned one of the first automotive dealer groups, his father was an automotive retailer, one uncle invented the automotive car lease, and another founded Carey International. An appetite for tackling new ideas is in his blood, as well as in the blood of his many extended family members. Of 86 first cousins on the Wolfington side alone, all but a handful run and operate their own businesses in the fields of transportation, technology, finance, real estate, and energy.

At a young age, Wolfington learned the tools of entrepreneurship from his extended family, and he has been building empires around his ingenious ideas ever since. His first business lesson came when he was seven years old, and his older sister was challenged with selling candy bars to raise money for her school. She was shy while he was industrious—he figured out that by selling the $1 candy bars for an inflated $2, he could gobble up one candy bar for each one sold. This savvy skill was not lost with his youth; at eight years old, Wolfington and his twin brother Ryan launched their first company, “Wolfington Works,” a make-it-happen, do-anything business adept at mowing lawns, babysitting younger children, and taking out the trash.

A native of Pennsylvania, Wolfington has homes in Philadelphia; Avalon, NJ; and Palm Beach, but he lives on Key Biscayne with his wife and four children during the school year. He earned a first-class education at Malvern Preparatory School, and later attended Dickinson College. It was while studying at college that Wolfington began working in the automotive industry. And through years spent working his way up in that industry, Wolfington grew a passion for revolutionizing the business. “I saw what could be and got addicted to perfecting automotive retailing and changing the way the world buys and services their cars over the Internet.” To fulfill this mission, Wolfington co-founded Cyber Car in the late 90s, which grew into one of the largest automotive consulting organizations in the world. Later he partnered with David Boice and his technology company Automark, an automotive kiosk company. Together, Boice and Wolfington grew Automark into the industry’s leading digital marketing company that helped manufacturers and retailers gain the tools and training to sell and service vehicles over the Internet. The companies were doing something never before seen, or even imagined. So when automotive retailing solutions company Reynolds and Reynolds purchased Cyber Car and Automark in 2000 for an enterprise value of $200 million, it was no surprise that Wolfington moved on to blaze new trails.

Fast forward a few years, and Wolfington finds himself in the midst of another huge payday. BZ Results, the third company he built in the automotive sector, develops digital solutions for dealerships and manufacturers. Under Wolfington’s watch, it became the industry leader in search marketing, mobile marketing, websites, CRM, and consulting, effectively revolutionizing the way vehicles are sold over the Internet. The company became Google’s No. 1 reseller in all industries, and Wolfington has contributed to more than $5 billion in automotive sales throughout his career. All of this was the genius conception of Wolfington, who was amongst the first to realize the potential the Internet held for automotive marketing. Just three years after its launch, BZ attracted the attention of ADP, which bought it for an undisclosed value, reported in the neighborhood of the previous Reynolds and Reynolds buyout. Wolfington’s companies worked with 12 automotive manufacturers, 76 of the top 100 dealer groups in the country, and more than 4,000 dealerships in 18 countries around the world.

A strict non-compete prevented Wolfington from reentering the automotive marketing game for three years, so what’s a guy who has built three multimillion-dollar businesses to do next? “Like any other entrepreneur I always wanted to play on the field, so I picked up another sport,” he explains. His new playing field was the world of film and entertainment.

Along with his uncle, Eustace Wolfington, he formed The One Media Group, in 2006. Thus far, Wolfington has produced three major motion pictures: Self Medicated, The Mighty Macs, and Bella. The Mighty Macs is the true story of the first NCAA Women’s Championship basketball team, while Self Medicated was the most award-winning film of 2006, earning accolades at the Newport Beach Film Festival and the Los Angeles DIY Film Festival. But it was Bella that stole the show. The independent film is a love story about how New York City changed the lives of three unsuspecting people. It certainly changed the life of Wolfington. The film won top honors at the Toronto Film Festival, one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in the world, considered the gateway to Oscar recognition—American Beauty, Life is Beautiful, Slumdog Millionaire, and Precious all received awards at TFF and went on to garner Oscar fame. After winning top prize at Toronto, the Bella team was honored at the White House and the Mexican Embassy, received the Smithsonian Institute Legacy Award, and won Best Picture at the Movieguide Awards. By the end of 2007, it was the No. 1-rated movie of the year by the No. 1 film site Rotten Tomatoes, topped the box office for all films in its category (despite a $3 million budget), and achieved distribution at the precipice of a brutal recession. “It is a small film but it has a big heart, and it was an honor to be a part of its success,” says Wolfington.

The Wall Street Journal said that Bella was the “biggest surprise of the year.” But perhaps the biggest surprise in this story is how a driven young man, with all the aptitude for building big businesses, transformed a low budget film into such a heralded breakout piece of entertainment. Alejandro Sanz, the most Grammy award winning Spanish singer/songwriter in history, donated two compositions after being floored by the performance of the film, as did the lead singer of Switchfoot, who donated the song he wrote for his wife when they were dating. Moreover, Grammy and Emmy Award-winning singer-songwriter Tony Bennett hailed Bella as “The best movie of the year, a perfect film, a masterpiece.” This is a true story of underdog on top, inspiring many unsuspecting players in the entertainment industry.

Currently, The One Media Group has three more motion pictures in development, including Phonies, an animated film in which cell phones rule the world.

For someone who placed so much importance on his family life from an early age, an animated flick seems like a natural progression. “The most important thing to me is my wife and children,” says Wolfington, who, along with his wife, Ana, has four children ranging from eight months to seven years old. Ana, who lit up his world during a business trip to London years ago, is his partner in life and in business. She is the co-chairman of the board of the Wolfington Companies, where she “is an incredible source of wisdom.” And, Wolfington brags, “She is the most unbelievable mother and wife that anyone could ever want, and she is my best friend”

Their life in South Florida began in 2006 after Wolfington purchased Cher’s iconic house on Mashta Island (the posh location for the Haute Living photo shoot featuring Wolfington and his beautiful wife) as a vacation home. But after falling in love with Key Biscayne and the surrounding areas, the Wolfingtons decided to relocate from Philadelphia to Miami full time. They still spend summers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania in order to connect with their large family. And this summer, Wolfington’s eldest son will follow in his father’s entrepreneurial footsteps by selling water bottles on the beaches of Avalon, a hobby he picked up last year after selling collected seashells at the local pancake joint. At just seven years old, he has brought the Wolfington legacy full circle.

The Cher home is a dream. With seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, unparalleled views of the ocean, infinity waterfall and pool, and many more luxurious features, it is a resort-like playground of first-class amenities right at home. But Wolfington, who is going to build a new dream home on the island, ended up placing this top dollar house on the market at the bottom of the recession. The miracle? They fetched an impressive $2 million more than their buying price at the peak of the market.

As the release of the next film from The One Group is patiently anticipated, Wolfington’s non-compete has expired, allowing him to reenter the automotive industry. Using his experience in both film and autos, he started an impressive seven new marketing and technology companies serving both the automotive and entertainment industries. These companies include Level 5 Marketing, which focuses on outsourced sales and marketing solutions for international automotive associations, films, and musical artists. Tier10Marketing.com is a holistic approach that specializes in results-oriented marketing for auto companies. Then there is Call Revu, a service that monitors 100 percent of retailers’ calls to track advertising sources and the customer experience. And there is also Team Velocity (thevdrive.com), a digitally targeted marketing company devoted to the automotive industry, Mobile Marketing USA, and Webmercial, responsible for creating and streaming advertising videos throughout the World Wide Web.

His company developed the entire digital marketing campaign for Grammy Award-winning artist Shakira, and he was bestowed the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2008 for his work with others under The Wolfington Charitable Foundation.

Wolfington was a finalist in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award when he was 34 years old—a huge accomplishment, being that Wayne Huizenga, founder of Blockbuster and AutoNation, won this coveted award the previous year. In addition to Huizenga’s credits in these parallel industries, he is also the only person to have six companies simultaneously listed on the New York Stock Exchange and to build three Fortune 1000 companies. Wolfington’s co-finalist, Bill McDermott, is the CEO of SAP, the largest CRM company in the world with approximately $10 billion a year in revenue. Not bad company for Wolfington to keep.

With such a list of accomplishments, anyone would assume that he has accomplished his fate and then some. But not Wolfington. He is always multiple steps ahead of the rest, anticipating the evolution of new business and industries. After Wolfington’s non-compete period expired, he has now created and invested in multiple companies in the automotive industry. One of which he was chairman of the board of, Vin Solutions.com was bought by AutoTrader in June of 2011. Others include Tier 10 Marketing, Level 5 Advertising, Team Velocity Marketing, the Automotive Advertising Network, Car-Mercial, CallRevu, the American Dream Network, DealerAPPVantage, Intellacar, GroupCars.com and BusinessRater.com.

While others who have found such success would spend more time in leisurely pursuits, Wolfington stays true to his ways as a Serial Entrepreneur and continues to contribute new innovations in the field of digital marketing technology.

http://www.hauteliving.com/2010/06/serial-entrepreneur/

http://www.hauteliving.com/2010/06/haute-100-miami-update-sean-wolfington/

Below are pictures from the photo gallery of the Haute Living profile on Wolfington:

Sean Wolfington and Ana Wolfington with Rafa Nadal, #1 ranked professional tennis player and one of the greatest of all time

Bella Team at Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots – Sean Wolfington kissing the Lombardi Trophy

Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots – Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Frank Gifford (NFL Legend and Sports Commentator) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) celebrate on the field

Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots – Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the field

Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots – Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) celebrates with Reuben Droughns (Running Back, NY Giants) on the field

Super Bowl XXXIX – New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles – Bella team goes to the Super Bowl: Leo Severino (Producer), Ana Wolfington (Executive Producer), Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer), and Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer)

Super Bowl XXXIX – New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles – Ana Wolfington and Sean Wolfington with Russ Hochstein (#71, Patriots) after New England victory

Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and Ana Wolfington (Producer) with Tony Bennett (Music Legend)

Bella Actors and Tony Bennett – (starting clockwise from bottom) Sophie Nyweide, Manny Perez, Eduardo Verastegui, Tony Bennett (Music Legend), Alejandro Monteverde, Aly Landry, Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer of Bella), Ana Wolfington, and Ewa Da Cruz

Tony Bennett gives Bella team Award (Ali Landry, Alejandro Monteverde, Eduardo Verastegui, Tony Bennett, Susan Benedetto, Sean Wolfington, and Ana Wolfington

Eduardo Verastegui (actor), Tony Bennett (15 Grammys), Alejandro Sanz, (17 Grammys, most of any Spanish musician) and Sean Wolfington (financier + producer) gathered at Bella’s NY party to celebrate Bella becoming the #1 Rated Film of 2007 by RottenTomatoes, the biggest film review site in the world. Bella was also #1 rated movie by Yahoo, Fandango and the New York Times Readers’ Poll while in theaters. Alejandro Sanz made a song for the film and Tony Bennett presented the “Tony Bennett Media Excellence Award” to the filmmakers.

Producer of Today Show Hoda Kobb, Eduardo Verastegui , Kathie Lee Gifford, Tony Bennett, Susan Bennett and Sean Wolfington

Susan Benedetto, Tony Bennett (Music Legend), Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer)

The Bryan Brothers and Sean Wolfington at the Icon Brickell Tennis Daily Party

The Bryan Brothers, Melky Jean (Grammy Nominated Artist and Sister of Wyclef Jean), Ana Wolfington and Sean Wolfington at the Tennis Daily party at the Icon Brickell

Ana Wolfington and Sean Wolfington at the Tennis Daily Party at the Icon Brickell

The Bryans, the Wolfingtons and the Tennis Daily team

Rory Cordial, Lucille Williams, and James Blake

Nicolas Almagro, Ana Wolfington and Sean Wolfington

Mike Bryan, James Black, Sean Wolfington and Bob Bryan

Sean Wolfington, Alec Baldwin and Charles Aiesi at Tony Bennett’s dinner gala

(From left to right) Stan Smith, Sean Wolfington, and John McEnroe at the US Open Final between Nadal vs Djokovic

Stan Smith, Sean Wolfington, Ana Wolfington, and John McEnroe

The Miami Heat

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:04:46 +0000

The Miami Heat recruited three of the top players in the NBA and are never boring to watch. World leaders, celebrities and athletes gather at the American Airlines Arena to watch and see if the Heat will live up to the Hype. View Photos

Pat Riley, Sean Wolfington and his son Seanito

LeBron James and Seanito

Puff Daddy and Sean Wolfington at dinner after the Miami Heat game

Lebron James & Dwayne Wade debate with ref about technical foul

Sean Wolfington with Ana and their son, Seanito at a Miami Heat game

Seanito

Chris Bosh, #7 (power forward) for the Miami Heat

Dwyane Wade, #3 (shooting guard/point guard) for the Miami Heat and Lebron James #6 (small foward/guard) for the Miami Heat supporting each other on the court.

Dwyane Wade shooting

Dwyane Wade shooting in the air.

Kanye West (Hip Hop music artist and producer) sits down with Boston Celtics players, Paul “The Truth” Pierce, #34 (small forward/shooting guard) and NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal #36 (center)

Indiana Pacers players

Indiana Pacers players and their coach

NBA referees

NBA Players

#6 Miami Heat, LeBron James

NBA players with coach

LeBron James dribbling

Scotty Pippen sat next to the Wolfingtons during the game

The NBA’s most exciting team to watch attracts World leaders, celebrities and athletes to the American Airlines Arena to watch and see if the big 3. After the game some of the biggest names in sports, entertainment and business get together to network and have fun.

Sean Wolfington and Michael Irving (former NFL player now Actor and Sports Analyst)

Rick Ross, Puff Daddy and Sean Wolfington at dinner after the Miami Heat game

Sean Wolfington at dinner after the Miami Heat game

Timbaland (Music Artist and Producer) and Sean Wolfington at dinner after the Miami Heat game

Sony Ericsson Tennis in Miami

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 00:45:14 +0000

Sean Wolfington and Ana Wolfington with Rafa Nadal, #1 ranked professional tennis player and one of the greatest of all time

Sean Wolfington and Sergio Garcia (professional golfer) watch Nadal beat Federer at the Sony Ericsson Tournament

Bob Bryan, Alejandro Sanz & Sean Wolfington

Sean Wolfington, Ana Wolfington, Fernando Verdasco, Alejandro Sanz & Raquel in Key Biscayne

Super Bowl

admin — Sat, 14 May 2011 22:46:13 +0000

Bella Team at Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots – Sean Wolfington kissing the Lombardi Trophy

Super Bowl XXXIX – New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles – Ana Wolfington & Sean Wolfington on the Superbowl Platform

This page features photos taken during both Super Bowl XLII (New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots) and Super Bowl XXXIX (Philadelphia Eagles Vs. New England Patriots)

Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots – Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the field

Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots – Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) with Ann Mara, (NY Giants Owner) on the field

Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots – Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) celebrates with Reuben Droughns (Running Back, NY Giants) on the field

Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots – Sean Wolfington celebrates with a NY Giants Player on the field

Bella team goes to the Super Bowl: Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer), Ana Wolfington (Executive Producer), Alejandro Monteverde (Writer and Director) and Leo Severino (Producer)

Super Bowl XXXIX – New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles – Ana Wolfington and Sean Wolfington with Russ Hochstein (#71, Patriots) after New England victory

Super Bowl XXXIX – New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles – Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) looks on as the Lombardi Trophy is raised into the air and the Patriots celebrate their victory

Tony Bennett Honors Sean Wolfington’s Film “Bella”

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and Ana Wolfington (Producer) with Tony Bennett (Music Legend)

Kathie Lee Gifford, Alejandro Monteverde, Eduardo Verastegui, Tony Bennett and Susan Benedetto

Tony Bennett gives Bella team Award (Ali Landry, Alejandro Monteverde, Eduardo Verastegui, Tony Bennett, Susan Benedetto, Sean Wolfington, and Ana Wolfington

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) and Tony Bennett (Music Legend)

Producer of Today Show Hoda Kobb, Eduardo Verastegui , Kathie Lee Gifford, Tony Bennett, Susan Bennett and Sean Wolfington

Tony Bennett (Music Legend) and Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer)

Tony Bennett (Music Legend and also an accomplished painter) paints a portrait for his good friend Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer)

Michael McCarty (Restaurateur), Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Tony Bennett (Music Legend), Frank Gifford (NFL Legend and Sports Commentator), Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer), Susan Benedetto, Herb Siegal (Producer), and Steve Millington (General Manager of Michael’s).

Susan Benedetto, Tony Bennett (Music Legend), Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer)

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) listens as Tony Bennett (Music Legend) praises Bella after world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival

The #1 Tennis Team in History, The Bryan Brothers, Launched TennisDaily.com at Icon Brickell

admin — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:36:14 +0000

The Bryan Brothers and Sean Wolfington at the Icon Brickell Tennis Daily Party

The Bryan Brothers, Melky Jean (Grammy Nominated Artist and Sister of Wyclef Jean), Ana Wolfington and Sean Wolfington at the Tennis Daily party at the Icon Brickell

The First-Ever Tennis Social Network Just in Time for Sony Ericsson Open
Photo credits: Manny Hernandez

The Bryan Brothers and the tennis elite united at Icon Brickell for the launch party for TennisDaily.com, hosted by The Bryan Brothers and Sean & Ana Wolfington. The social networking site is similar to that of Facebook but solely for professional tennis players and enthusiasts.

Grammy-winning artist Melky Jean (Wyclef Jean’s sister) and The Bryan Brothers performed along with Grammy nominated singer/songwriter James Slater and Brian Lynch, husband of Kim Clijsters.

The event was held at the famed 15th floor pool deck of Icon Brickell, the highest-profile building in Miami continuously recognized for breaking sales records thanks to Fortune International. A gifting suite for professional tennis players and celebrities in Café Icon featured items from Sony Ericsson, Trini in Private, Molly Dooker wines and more. The event also commemorated TennisDaily.com’s launch of a custom section on the social network for residents of Icon Brickell to share, connect, view and post pictures and videos. The webpage also makes it easy to download Icon Brickell’s mobile application—the first residential real estate, property-specific mobile app for the iPhone and iPad in the USA, available in the iTunes Store.

Notable attendees: Melky Jean, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan–better known as The Bryan Brothers, James Slater, Brian Lynch (Kim Clijsters husband), Nikolay Davydenko, Robin Söderling, James Blake, Nicolás Almagro, Edgardo and Ana Cristina Defortuna, Sean and Ana Wolfington.

Ana Wolfington and Sean Wolfington at the Tennis Daily Party at the Icon Brickell

The Bryans, the Wolfingtons and the Tennis Daily team

Rory Cordial, Lucille Williams, and James Blake

Nicolas Almagro, Ana Wolfington and Sean Wolfington

Janko Tipsarevic and Oliver Marach at the Tennis Daily Party at the Icon Brickell

Mike Bryan, James Black, Sean Wolfington and Bob Bryan

Bob Bryan and his father Wayne Bryan

Sean Wolfington and James Slater

Melky Jean (Grammy Nominated Artist and Sister of Wyclef Jean) at the Tennis Daily party at the Icon Brickell

Marcia Martinez and Sarah Arison at the Tennis Daily Party at the Icon Brickell

Marach and Jessie Oliver with their little dog Matilda

James Slater playing live on stage at the Tennis Daily Party at the Icon Brickell

Bob Bryan and James Black

Bob and Michelle Bryan, Sean and Ana Wolfington, Michael Bryan and Lucille Williams

The Bryan Brothers and Melky Jean

James Slater jamming with the Bryan Brothers at the Tennis Daily party in the Icon Brickell

The Big Bounce

Sean and Ana Wolfington and the Bryan Brothers, the #1 Tennis Team in the World, host the Tennis Ap Launch Party at the Wolfington’s Miami Home

Sean and Ana Wolfington hosted the launch party for the Tennis Ap at their Key Biscayne home along with the Bryan Brothers, the #1 ranked tennis team in the world. In the picture is (put the peoples names). The Bryan Brothers performed a song that was dedicated to Andre Agassi, their mentor. Wayne Bryan, the twins father was the MC and Grammy nominated artist, Adreana Lucia, performed 4 of her latest hits live for the exclusive audience of 300 during the Sony Ericsson Open.

World’s #1 Ranked Duo Bob and Mike Bryan Host the “Tennis APP” Premiere Party

Sean and Ana Wolfington hosted an event with the Bryan Brothers, the #1 ranked tennis team in the world, to launch the Tennis Ap. The event included a musical performances by the Bryan Brothers and Adriana Lucia, grammy nominated artist. The event went to benefit Ryan Wolfingtons Foundation whose mission is to help at risk youth rise above their limited circumstances to achieve their fullest potential.

The Bryan Brothers, the #1 ranked tennis team in the world hosted an exclusive launch event to debut the “TENNIS App,” the latest application for everything tennis available for mobile phones. The launch coincided with the Sony Ericsson Open and the Bryan Brothers were joined by friends and celebrity guests at the ocean front residence of Sean and Ana Wolfington on Key Biscayne. Guests included top 10 ATP players Robin Soderling and Fernando Verdasco, WTA #2 ranked woman Caroline Wazniaki and top 50 ranked, up and coming American player John Isner.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WORLD’S #1 RANKED DUO “BOB AND MIKE BRYAN HOST “THE TENNIS APP” PREMIER PARTY
Bryan Brothers and Grammy nominated artist, Adriana Lucia Perform Live

Miami—March 25, 2010—The Bryan Brothers, the #1 ranked tennis team in the world hosted a celebrity-filled exclusive launch party on Wednesday, March 24th to debut the new “TENNIS App,” the latest application for everything tennis available for mobile phones.

The Bryan Brothers were joined by a host of friends and celebrity guests at the private ocean front residence of Sean and Ana Wolfington on Key Biscayne, Florida, in celebration of the anticipated release of this ground breaking mobile technology in what many are calling “the new internet.” Guests included top 10 ATP ranked men’s players in the world Robin Soderling and Fernando Verdasco, WTA #2 ranked woman in the world Caroline Wazniaki and top 50 ranked, up and coming American player John Isner.

“Mike and I are thrilled to help launch The TENNIS App. We’re excited to give our friends, family and all lovers of the sport a mechanism where they have access to everything tennis,” said Bob Bryan. “The TENNIS App combines our passion for the sport with our favorite gadgets, and is an incredible tennis instructional tool for all types of players. This is also a great way for fans to stay updated on current news and pro rankings.”

During the event, the Bryan Brothers performed their latest music single “Open My Heart,” which was written as a tribute to Andre Agassi and his new book, “Open.”

“Andre is a huge reason why we’re playing the game of tennis today,” said Mike Bryan. “We admire the honesty he displays in his book, and think there are many lessons to be learned from his amazing journey.”

GRAMMY-Award nominated artist, Adriana Lucia, known for her recent album “Porro Nuevo,” gave a special live performance during the event, while guests enjoyed Italian dishes courtesy of Putino Restaurant, owned and created by hotelier Cristoforo Pignata. Additionally, acclaimed artist, Leonardo Hidalgo, painted a portrait of the Bryan Brothers, which will be auctioned off to benefit VegasTennis.com’s Marty Hennessy Jr. Tennis Foundation, which inspires youth through mentoring, tennis and education.

“I’ve long been a supporter of VegasTennis.com’s Marty Hennessy Foundation, and wanted to use this gathering as an opportunity to bring awareness to the great work they do to help at risk youth,” said Sean Wolfington. “In the last five years the organization has helped more than 20 children obtain scholarships to college for tennis and academics, and we’re thrilled to support the organization’s future fellows.”

About The TENNIS App:
The TENNIS App is an exciting new application for all phone platforms that brings “Everything tennis” including professional video animation, photographs, textual instruction, live news feeds and rankings right to your hands.

The TENNIS App features detailed instructional content from Bob and Mike Bryan, the number one ranked doubles team in the world, winners of eight grand slam doubles titles and the 2010 Australian Open doubles champions.

The TENNIS App teaches correct technique for every essential shot in tennis. It breaks down the essential components of each shot into bite-sized chunks: split step, first movement, grip change, pivot, load, back swing, acceleration, contact, wrist roll, follow through and recovery. Each phase features looped animation or photos combined with professional instruction from the Bryan brothers and other top pros.

The TENNIS App’s animation control allows you to slow down the action by adjusting playback speed. Users can also pause the lesson, and manually step frame by frame to study every detail. And you are able to automatically zero in on the most important portion of the animation or photo.

If you are left handed, The TENNIS App has the unique ability to automatically flip animations and photos to depict either right or left handed players. The TENNIS App also allows you to stay up to date on the latest tennis news from trusted sources and provides the current ATP and WTA rankings.

About the Bryan Brothers:

58 Titles on the ATP Tour, including the 2003 French Open, the 2005 & 2008 US Open, the 2006, 2007, 2009 & 2010 Australian Open and the 2006 Wimbledon Doubles Championships – - – a Career Grand Slam and they are only the third team in the Open Era to achieve that feat.

#1 in the world in doubles in five of the past seven years – - – the first team to ever achieve that; 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009, and #2 in 2004 and 2008.

The Bryans were the first doubles team in the Open Era to reach seven straight Grand Slam Finals (’05 Australian, French, Wimbledon, US Open, ’06 Australian, French, Wimbledon).

They have represented the United States in two Olympics, reaching the quarter finals in Athens in 2004, and winning the Bronze Medal at Beijing in 2008.

They are not only committed to doing charity work and events for their own Bryan Brothers Foundation, they also support the Elton John Aids Foundation, the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation, the Andre Agassi Foundation, the Andy Roddick Foundation, the James Blake Foundation, the Mardy Fish Foundation, the Pam Shriver Foundation, WECANN supporting Abused Children, the Cystic Firbosis Foundation, the VCJTA, the SBJTA, EPATT, the Stanford Tennis Teams, the UCSB Tennis Teams and Cal Poly Tennis Teams.

In addition, they also make several appearances across the country and around the world for charitable and special tennis events with their musical group, the Bryan Bros. Band. They currently have a new CD out titled Let It Rip.

Edgar Martinez
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications
Edgar.Martinez@sonyericsson.com
Edgar.Martinez@sonyericsson.com

For more information on the Bryan Brothers please contact:
Ryan Wolfington
vegastenniscom@aol.com

Need a Tennis Fix? There’s an App (and a Party) for That.

By Christina Bohnstengel on March 19th, 2010

It may be Friday and you’ve got nothing but weekend plans on the brain, but we’d like to direction your attention towards the middle of next week. On Wednesday, March 24, the Magic City will play host to a coming-out party like no other. Coinciding with the start of the Sony Ericsson Open, No. 1 Doubles Team Bob and Mike Bryan, along with Sean and Ana Wolfington will host a soiree to debut “The TENNIS app.” Celebrity guests and pro tennis players will be lining the Key Biscayne bridge to get to this island party where Grammy award-winning artist Adriana Lucia will entertain the crowd. The Bryan Brothers are also scheduled for a little entertaining of their own, when they showcase their newest single and their newest cell phone application for all-things-tennis.

There are a million different reasons why we love to call Miami home. The fact that we live in the place where the rest of the world comes to vacation certainly equates to a whole lot of nonstop fun. On any given night, VIPs and famous faces grace our sunny shores, mandating that the entertainment options and party invites are innovative, shocking, and plentiful.

While this weekend will once again be teeming with enough options to make any socialite’s well-coiffed head spin, such as the Women of Tomorrow Annual Gala at Mandarin Oriental or the Schiopetto and Sandrone presentation dinner at The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, for now we’d like to direction your attention towards the middle of next week.

On Wednesday, March 24, the Magic City will play host to a coming-out party like no other. Coinciding with the start of the Sony Ericsson Open, No. 1 Doubles Team Bob and Mike Bryan, along with Sean and Ana Wolfington, will host a soiree to debut “The TENNiS app.”

Celebrity guests and pro tennis players will be lining the Key Biscayne bridge to get to this island party where Grammy award-winning artist Adriana Lucia will entertain the crowd. The Bryan Brothers are also scheduled for a little entertaining of their own, when they showcase their newest single, “Open My Heart,” a tune that was inspired by Andre Agassi and his new book Open.

“Andre is a huge reason why we are playing the game of tennis today,” Mike Bryan commented on a website promoting the event. “We admire Andre’s honesty in his book and think there are many lessons to be learned from his amazing journey.”

With all-things-tennis about to take over the streets of Key Biscayne, the timing of the premiere of “The TENNiS App” could not have been better strategized. The cell phone platform includes pro video animation, live news feeds, rankings, photos, and technique tips.

Check in with the Bryan Brothers for more info on the app and what is sure to be one of the hottest events of the Open.

SEAN WOLFINGTON

The Bryan Brothers and the Tennis App Launch Party

April 14, 2010 by shoegirl

Several weeks ago, I attended a party at a gorgeous mansion on Key Biscayne. Held during the weekend of the Sony Ericsson Open (that’s tennis, by the way, not golf…it’s like they give sporting events purposely ambiguous names to confuse people – like, for example, the John Deere Classic, which is golf – and don’t even get me started on the oxymoronic implications of that title), the party was the launch party for TENNiS APP for iPhones. The guests of honor were the Bryan brothers – that is, Bob and Mike Bryan, who are two of the top doubles tennis players in the U.S., and also have a band, which performed at the party.

To be quite honest with you, I completely forgot I attended this party. It was in the midst of SIF (Social Innovation Fund) madness at work, my trip to visit my sister, and my wracking case of bronchitis – I think that in a haze of sleep deprivation, Tussionex Suspension, and mind-numbing federal documents, I blacked the whole thing out of my mind completely. The only reason I remembered recently that I went was because I had photographed the event for the host and hostess, Sean and Ana Wolfington, because something had happened to their photographer at the last minute, and their assistant contacted me asking if they could get a CD with the photographs on it. I thought it would be interesting to put these up to show the contrast between this…and what I usually post. Haha.

The Exterior.

I could do a series of ten posts on the décor alone (they wanted me to take pictures of the party set-up so that they could easily re-create it in the future), but I will spare you pages and pages of drool-worthy design, and just put up my favorites. Above is the view from the back patio. That pool is actually a waterfall – isn’t it beautiful?

There were white orchids and lilies everywhere, floating suspended in water in these tall vases. I love the underwater flower concept.

Here is the backyard, facing the other way. Below that upper pool/waterfall is another, larger swimming pool.

Waterfall and pool area

Just to prove that I didn’t just steal these pictures off of the Internet! I really was there, I really was… I swear.

Ignore the wrinkles in my dress. Sigh. This was before my dad sent me an iron for my birthday. (Not kidding.)

Beneath the upper pool, the waterfall cascades over a lower deck into the larger pool. On the lawn, they had set up tall tables covered in white linens. Miami is making me have a bit of an obsession with white, I think. Everything is either coastal, beachy, distressed vintage white – all white – or sleek, modern, airy white. I love it all!

This is the back of the house; that is, the part of the house that faces the ocean. Isn’t it a fabulous?

Once the party started – in the evening – the tall, white-linen-covered tables were transformed into over-sized glowing lampshades (they were lit from inside).

Poolside at night

The Interior.

This is the first glimpse of the house you see when you first walk in. There is an open stairway above that far sitting room, but I cropped it out because it looked awkward. Sorry.

All of the pictures on the far right wall are sepia-toned photographs of the family. I really like that.

I also really like the dark wood-white fabric and flowers combo.

It gives me ideas for things to do to my own apartment… I figure I should probably get all of my white obsession out of my system before I have kids; my parents installed white carpeting throughout our house when they had an infant and a four year old. Things didn’t turn out so well for the carpet.

Beautiful tabletop decorations

Table decorations

And here is the dining room, where they kept the food. And oh, my goodness, the food.

The food! I believe these came from George Stone Crab, who delivers fresh crab worldwide (if any of my mid-West readers want to get some of that for themselves!). These were pre-cracked, and so good! Although, it is difficult to peel fresh crab, hold your plate, and your drink, and your purse, and your camera, all at once. Aren’t those white hydrangeas pretty, too?

Yum….am I making you hungry yet? I love love love fresh cracked crab. One of the things I miss the most about (currently) having no money is fresh, good seafood. Mmmm.

Look at those claws!

The People.

The party was hosted by Sean and Ana Wolfington (the couple on the far left), Sean’s twin brother Ryan. The guests of honor, like I said earlier, were the Bryan Brothers. If you want to know more about them, you can Google them. Another part of the night was the auctioning off of that painting that you see behind them. The painting is by artist Leonardo Hidalgo, and was auctioned off to benefit VegasTennis.com’s Marty Hennessy Jr. Tennis Foundation. (The foundation works to inspire youth through mentoring, tennis, and education, and is co-founded by Ryan Wolfington.)

All my favorite girlies! Tania, on the left, is a Program Coordinator in my office. She does….just about everything related to our youth. Then, second from the left, is me (and my wrinkles). Second from the right is Cristal, who used to work in the Governor’s office with Wendy and now does marketing for Miami-area hospitals. Cristal is a total crack-up, partly because she is so honest – she always makes me laugh. She’s so sweet. And I also love her dress. Camille is on the far left. Camille works with me and Tania. She kind of does a little bit of everything, from HR policy to events coordination to picking up cases of wine for our wine-tasting event . (Wonder if they ever count the bottles after she drops them back off, hmm, Camille?) [Just kidding. ]

This is Maximillian. We actually met several weeks ago at a St. Jude’s Young Professionals event. He works for Jeb Bush’s consulting firm. He’s very smart, and has a dry, droll kind of humor, which makes me a teensy bit uncomfortable because I always feel like I didn’t get the joke. (Which is usually the case.) I don’t exactly recall why we were posing with the palm tree, but it may have had something to do with the raspberry cocktails they were passing around.

Another raspberry cocktail-induced pose, perhaps? (I’m just kidding, by the way. There actually was reasoning behind this pose, believe it or not, I just don’t recall what it was.)

My personal favorite photograph of the night:

Wendy (on the left) helped Sean Wolfington organize this whole shindig. Part of my “duties” was to photograph random party guests. This woman (below) was my most favoritest party-goer. She just looks so darn chic! I loved her outfit, her little red clutch, everything about her, really – and the shoes! The shoes were red and black Chanel spectator ballet flats….ohmigosh. I had to walk away so I didn’t suffer a stroke of severe shoe envy.

The brothers signed the painting before it was auctioned off…

….then I left.

No, I am not joking. They also performed their song, “Open My Heart,” which is tribute to Andre Agassi (my first impression was: Wait…what?), and Adriana Lucia performed.

But I missed all of that, because I was sicker than sick. I was coughing so hard towards the end of the night that I couldn’t stand up straight. (Luckily, it was outdoors, loud, and dark, so this was less noticable – and disgusting – than it would have been if it was inside.) So I finished taking the posed photos that they requested and blew that joint!

In all seriousness, though, it was a beautiful night – beautiful people, beautiful home, beautiful setting. And that is what I will leave you with:

Original Article Here

A Star-Studded Gala in Support of the Arts

admin — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:08:06 +0000

Sean Wolfington, Alec Baldwin and Charles Aiesi at Tony Bennett’s dinner gala

By Haute Living on October 5th, 2010

Sean Wolfington and Ana Wolfington supported Tony Bennett and Susan Benedetto’s fourth annual Exploring the Arts (ETA) gala at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City to raise over $100 million to support art education.

Alec Baldwin, James Gandolfini, Michael Imperioli, George Hamilton, Harvey Weinstein and Nancy Sinatra were among those who attended the gala in support of the non-profit organization that was founded by Bennett and Benedetto in 1999. Its mission is to return arts-enriched programming to American public schools. This year ETA announced a plan to serve six more schools throughout New York City, enabling the organization to reach 3,000 more students.

Longtime ETA supporters Michael Francis from the Target Corp. and Joseph Laurita from Margaritaville Apparel Group were honored at the event, which was hosted by ABC World News’ Bob Woodruff and featured performances by Bennett and Natalie Cole.

“It was a star-studded event for a wonderful cause, topped off by an incredible performance by Tony Bennett, who still has it!” said Jay Rosenthal, general manager of Rallye Acura in Long Island. Rosenthal was one of three of the world’s largest Acura dealers who attended the event along with Sean Wolfington, owner of Level5 Advertising, who said, “Tony and Susan are extraordinary people and Exploring the Arts is having a huge impact on kids’ lives.”

“I am inspired by Tony’s accomplishments as an artist and by all he gives back. There are two types of people in this world: givers and takers. I have only known Tony to be a giver,” said Kenny Hicks, general manager of Acura of Westchester, and a fan of Bennett since his teenage years.

“Tony’s loyalty to this cause and the kids is almost as magical as the songs that he performed for us. His voice, enthusiasm, and devotion are without equal,” said Brian Benstock of Paragon Acura in Queens, N.Y., home of ETA partner school, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. Students from the school gave a musical theater performance and art exhibit at the event.

Bennett and Benedetto have expressed their appreciation to all who were a part of the benefit, saying, “We wish to thank everyone who so generously supported us this year. Our fourth annual benefit was a tremendous success!”

Chuck Aeisi, Dominic Chianese, Ken Hicks, Sean Wolfington, and Jay Rosenthal

Tony Bennett and Ken Hicks

Sean Wolfington and the Sopranos cast

Chuck Aiesi and Natalie Cole

Sean Wolfington, Ana Wolfington, John McEnroe and Stan Smith at the US Open Final between Nadal vs Djokovic

admin — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:49:52 +0000

(From left to right) Stan Smith, Sean Wolfington, and John McEnroe at the US Open Final between Nadal vs Djokovic

Stan Smith, Sean Wolfington, Ana Wolfington, and John McEnroe

Sean Wolfington with Top Female Tennis Player

Sean and Ana Wolfington and the Bryan Brothers, the #1 Tennis Team in the World, host the Tennis Ap Launch Party at the Wolfington’s Miami Home

admin — Sat, 07 May 2011 21:16:57 +0000

The Bryans and the Wolfingtons

Sean and Ana Wolfington hosted the launch party for the Tennis Ap at their Key Biscayne home along with the Bryan Brothers, the #1 ranked tennis team in the world. The Bryan Brothers performed a song that was dedicated to Andre Agassi, their mentor. Wayne Bryan, the twins father was the MC and Grammy nominated artist, Adreana Lucia, performed 4 of her latest hits live for the exclusive audience of 300 during the Sony Ericsson Open.

[Show as slideshow]

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World’s #1 Ranked Duo Bob and Mike Bryan Host the “Tennis APP” Premiere Party

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WORLD’S #1 RANKED DUO “BOB AND MIKE BRYAN HOST “THE TENNIS APP” PREMIER PARTY
Bryan Brothers and Grammy nominated artist, Adriana Lucia Perform Live

During the event, the Bryan Brothers performed their latest music single “Open My Heart,” which was written as a tribute to Andre Agassi and his new book, “Open.”

About the Bryan Brothers:

#1 in the world in doubles in five of the past seven years – - – the first team to ever achieve that; 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009, and #2 in 2004 and 2008.

The Bryans were the first doubles team in the Open Era to reach seven straight Grand Slam Finals (’05 Australian, French, Wimbledon, US Open, ’06 Australian, French, Wimbledon).

They have represented the United States in two Olympics, reaching the quarter finals in Athens in 2004, and winning the Bronze Medal at Beijing in 2008.

Edgar Martinez
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications
Edgar.Martinez@sonyericsson.com
Edgar.Martinez@sonyericsson.com

For more information on the Bryan Brothers please contact:
Ryan Wolfington
vegastenniscom@aol.com

Need a Tennis Fix? There’s an App (and a Party) for That.

By Christina Bohnstengel on March 19th, 2010

Check in with the Bryan Brothers for more info on the app and what is sure to be one of the hottest events of the Open.

SEAN WOLFINGTON

The Bryan Brothers and the Tennis App Launch Party

April 14, 2010 by shoegirl

The Exterior.

There were white orchids and lilies everywhere, floating suspended in water in these tall vases. I love the underwater flower concept. (Works better if the flowers are plastic…)

Here is the backyard, facing the other way. Below that upper pool/waterfall is another, larger swimming pool.

Just to prove that I didn’t just steal these pictures off of the Internet! I really was there, I really was…I swear.

Ignore the wrinkles in my dress. Sigh. This was before my dad sent me an iron for my birthday. (Not kidding.)

This is the back of the house; that is, the part of the house that faces the ocean. Isn’t it a fabulous?

Once the party started – in the evening – the tall, white-linen-covered tables were transformed into over-sized glowing lampshades (they were lit from inside).

The Interior.

This is the first glimpse of the house you see when you first walk in. There is an open stairway above that far sitting room, but I cropped it out because it looked awkward. Sorry.

All of the pictures on the far right wall are sepia-toned photographs of the family. I really like that.

I also really like the dark wood-white fabric and flowers combo. It gives me ideas for things to do to my own apartment…I figure I should probably get all of my white obsession out of my system before I have kids; my parents installed white carpeting throughout our house when they had an infant and a four year old. Things didn’t turn out so well for the carpet.

And here is the dining room, where they kept the food. And oh, my goodness, the food.

Yum….am I making you hungry yet? I love love love fresh cracked crab. One of the things I miss the most about (currently) having no money is fresh, good seafood. Mmmm.

Look at those claws!

The People.

The party was hosted by Sean and Ana Wolfington (the couple on the far left), and Sean’s twin brother Ryan. The guests of honor, like I said earlier, were the Bryan Brothers. If you want to know more about them, you can Google them. Another part of the night was the auctioning off of that painting that you see behind them. The painting is by artist Leonardo Hidalgo, and was auctioned off to benefit VegasTennis.com’s Marty Hennessy Jr. Tennis Foundation. (The foundation works to inspire youth through mentoring, tennis, and education, and is co-founded by Ryan Wolfington.)

[Note: Again, please ignore my wrinkles. I can just picture you saying, Geez Louise, who is that wrinkly mess? I was sick, drugged with cough and sinus medication, and had sat in an office all day long! Please don't judge... ]

Another raspberry cocktail-induced pose, perhaps? (I’m just kidding, by the way. There actually was reasoning behind this pose, believe it or not, I just don’t recall what it was.)

My personal favorite photograph of the night:

The brothers signed the painting before it was auctioned off…

….then I left.

No, I am not joking. They also performed their song, “Open My Heart,” which is tribute to Andre Agassi (my first impression was: Wait…what?), and Adriana Lucia performed.

In all seriousness, though, it was a beautiful night – beautiful people, beautiful home, beautiful setting. And that is what I will leave you with:

Original Article Here

Cher House Sale Gives Miami Market Hope

admin — Sat, 07 May 2011 04:57:21 +0000

Luxurious aerial view of the property. Sean Wolfington and Ana Wolfington bought Cher’s former mansion on the island of Key Biscayne

MIAMI, May 6 — While most of the market has been deeply impacted by the recession there are a few homes that have increased in value since the bubble popped. High-end celebrity-owned real estate sales, whether previously or currently held, are surprisingly strong with prices reflecting a steady increase. “There’s a shortage of trophy properties on the market and we are seeing an increasing number of wealthy foreign buyers from Latin America and Europe looking to capitalize on the weak U.S. dollar,” said Daniel De La Vega, Broker of ONE Sotheby’s Realty.

A recent sale suggests that rare waterfront homes increase in value even in a down economy. Cher’s former Miami Mansion, which was purchased back in 2006 by Sean Wolfington, just sold this week for $10.45m – close to $2 million more than its sale price at the peak of the market. This 6 bed, 6 bath home has wide water views and a resort-style back yard and pool. Pictures can be seen at www.510sMashta.com. One-of-a-kind waterfront properties have always held their value and this home’s celebrity cache most definitely helped it stand out in a crowd. “Everyone in Miami knows the home as the ‘Cher House’”, said Jorge Uribe – Senior Vice President at ONE Sotheby’s International Realty, who sold the home to the Wolfingtons in 2006, and recently sold it to the new owners. “The celebrity factor of the house definitely helps, but the nicest properties will always have a demand which makes them partially immune to the recession.”

“The laws of supply and demand will always apply – especially when you are dealing with a unique and exceptional piece of waterfront property. The oldest rule in real estate is Location Location Location and Cher’s former home was built on Mashta Island, just off of Key Biscayne Island,” said Jorge Uribe. “A lot of people told me to lower the price by 20% – 30% because everything was down, but I advised my client to be patient. In the end, the new owners paid a great price for one of the most unique properties in Miami and they will most definitely see similar appreciation that these one-of-a-kind properties always enjoy.”

Despite a slow year in 2009, Uribe has already closed over $35m in luxury real estate this year, so it looks like the Miami Luxury waterfront real estate business has bounced back.

To view pictures of the “Cher House” visit www.510SMashta.com.

To learn more about One Sotheby’s visit www.ONEsothebysrealty.com.

Ana Wolfington bought Cher’s former mansion on the island of Key Biscayne.

View of back yard pool area, facing the Atlantic Ocean. Sean Wolfington and Ana Wolfington bought Cher’s former mansion on the island of Key Biscayne.

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Helping Hand

admin — Thu, 05 May 2011 17:58:17 +0000

New York Post
November 27, 2009

Shakira will let her fans help pick a different opening act for each city on her tour next year. The Colombian superstar will allow artists to upload videos of performances to her Web site when the “Opening Act” contest starts. Fans will vote for the finalists, and winners will be chosen by Shakira’s team. Sean Wolfington, her digital-business partner, told us, “The artists will open for Shakira live in big cities and virtually through a video performance in smaller markets. There are a lot of talented artists, and Shakira wants to help them by giving them part of her stage.”

New York Post Article
http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/helping_hand_rx3B01O1mXKWsQh2vhiRQP

Bella wins the Smithsonian Award

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 14:40:34 +0000

The Smithsonian Institute presented Bella’s filmmakers Eduardo Verastegui, (Actor and Producer) and Alejandro Monteverde (Writer and Director) with the prestigious “Legacy Award” for their film Bella at its annual gala.

Smithsonian Video:

Bella Becomes the #1 Top Rated Movie of 2007

By Aaron Glickman, Publisher Last September, the Smithsonian Institute presented Bella’s filmmakers Eduardo Verastegui, (actor/producer) and Alejandro Monteverde (writer/director) with the prestigious “Legacy Award” for their film Bella at its annual gala. The Legacy Awards honor role models who have made a significant impact on American culture and society through their art. “Bella is a masterpiece and it will be in the Smithsonian’s archives along with the hope diamond, the star spangled banner and the ruby slippers,” said Henry Munoz, the Chairman of the Smithsonian Latino Center. In addition to pleasing the Smithsonian Institute, Bella became the #1 Top Rated Movie of 2007 from the users of the biggest film review website in the world, www.RottenTomatoes.com. Bella was also one of the most honored films of the year – winning the highly-coveted “Peoples Choice Award,” a distinction that puts it in the company of such Oscar-winning films as Chariots of Fire, American Beauty, Life is Beautiful, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hotel Rwanda. Since Toronto, the Bella team has been honored at the Whitehouse, the Mexican Embassy and they won Best Picture and Best Actor at the 2008 Movie Guide Awards. The Wall Street Journal said Bella was “the biggest surprise of the Year” because it generated the largest box office results of every film released in 2007 in its category. Since its debut, Bella has touched the lives of audiences across the country, but it has also enchanted critics and has been declared “A film that will stay with you forever” (NBC-Miami), “Warm, sweet and funny” (Roger Ebert) and “the warmest family drama I’ve seen in years” (Film Journal). Fans of the film have been the key to its success including Grammy® and Emmy® Award winning singer-songwriter Tony Bennett who hailed Bella as “The best movie of the year, a perfect film, a masterpiece,” and entertainer Rosie O’Donnell chose Bella as her top film of 2007 saying, “I love this film. It is a beautiful movie.” When Edward James Olmos chose Bella to open the LA Latino International Film Festival out of the thousands of films produced this year he said, “It is one of the most impressive landmark films to open our festival in 10 years… a film people have to see, it really captures the heart and makes you think. It is one of the best films to come out in a long time.”

“We applaud Metanoia Films for their work and dedication to presenting the Latino experience in a dignified and positive light” said Pilar O’Leary, the executive director of the Smithsonian Institutes Latino Center. The Smithsonian award is one more mark of prestige in Verastegui’s and Monteverde’s impressive career as filmmakers. The story behind these wonderful men is an inspiration to all artists who pursue a dream and do what it takes to make it a reality. Eduardo Verástegui is the son of a sugar cane farmer from a small town in Mexico named Xicotencatl. During a phenomenal career as a recording artist who toured in 13 countries and an actor who starred in five highly-rated telenovelas and the American film Chasing Papi, Verastegui had been signed by a high-profile talent agency and management company who were guiding his fast track to stardom. As his career was skyrocketing Verastegui realized that he was unfulfilled and that he wanted something more. He wanted to make films that “have the potential to touch people’s hearts and minds”. He did not want to continue to take roles that contributed to the negative stereotype of Latinos in film. “I wanted to portray Latinos as heroes, not like Batman or Superman, but everyday heroes who are hard working people of integrity, individuals who are willing to sacrifice for their family and for others,” said Verastegui. There were not a lot of projects coming out of Hollywood that were in line with his mission. “After not working for almost 3 years I realized that I had to start my own production company that would make films that entertain, engage and inspire audiences with a positive message. Family is the foundation of society for the Latino culture and I want to pursue projects that show how families protect, help and love each other, “says Verastegui. “Both Alejandro (the director) and I wanted to show Latino culture in a positive way without being unrealistic.” Born in the small town of Tampico, Mexico, Alejandro Monteverde knew from a very young age that he wanted to become a filmmaker. But that dream, to a boy from a small town in Mexico, seemed about as likely as winning tops honors at the most influential film festival in the world, which he accomplished with Bella. At the age of seventeen, with the support of his family, Monteverde journeyed to the United States without knowing a word of English to enroll at the University of Texas’ film school, one of the top film programs in the nation. Denied admission several times, Monteverde knew that he hadn’t traveled that far to accept defeat so easily. He attended a local community college and kept reapplying. Overcoming the hurdle of the admissions process, a lack of fluent English and a constant shortage of money, Monteverde’s tenacity finally earned him a seat at the UT, where he quickly excelled, breaking the school’s award-winning track record. He won 4 festivals the first time he picked up a camera for Bocho and then won 7 festivals for his second short film Waiting for Trains.

After graduating from the University of Texas, Monteverde joined forces with superstar actor Verastegui and Leo Severino (20th Century Fox business affairs exec) to create Metanoia Films to make movies that matter. The “Three Amigos” designed their business cards and were ready to go but the only problem was that they did not have financing. Along came Sean Wolfington and Eustace Wolfington, entrepreneurs who shared their vision for making meaningful movies. The Wolfington’s agreed to finance the film and the “5 Amigos” formed a production company called Metanoia Films and finished the development of the script. After sharing their vision with Hollywood studios they could not get financial support so they risked their own money to film Bella in New York City in only 24 days on a shoe-string budget. One year later Bellatook top prize at the largest and most prestigious film festival in the world, Toronto’s International Film Festival, by winning the highly-coveted “People’s Choice Award,” and subsequently became the #1 Rated Film of 2007 and the top grossing film of every move released last year in its category. If winning such professional acclaim had seemed impossible, marrying a former Miss USA seemed like an even more remote possibility. Yet in 2006 Monteverde wed Ali Landry, an accomplished actress, beginning the most important chapter in the story of his American dream. Ms. Landry and Monteverde recently had their first child, a little girl named Stella.

After distributors turned them away the Bella team decided to finance the distribution of the film themselves. Audiences all over the world were so moved by Bellathat they adopted theaters by buying out all the seats for a particular showing to ensure a successful opening weekend. Almost 500 people volunteered to buy out screens to help this little film succeed. Some organizations used these private screenings as fundraisers to raise more than $30,000 in one evening and others used it as a social event to raise awareness about the beauty of adoption. “Our mission is to make films that make a positive impact and we got unbelievable support from a lot of people who share this mission” said financier and producer Sean Wolfington. The filmmakers dedicated an entire section of their website, www.BellaTheMovie.com, to equip people to promote their film and to pre-purchase theatres. “We have an army of supporters who believe in Bella and they volunteered to help mobilize people on opening weekend,” said Wolfington. People handed out flyers, hung posters, emailed friends and contacted their local press to encourage them to publish stories about this little film with a big heart. In addition to the grass roots support the film received, Bella attracted the support of many great artists. Bella features a beautiful music score with a work composed and performed by Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Alejandro Sanz. “We showed the film to Alejandro in his house and he loved it. He gave us two songs from his new best selling CD, El Tren de los Momentos, and they are absolutely beautiful,” said Wolfington. The lead singer of Switchfoot also donated a song after being inspired by the film during a private screening. “He gave us his favorite song that he wrote for his wife when they were dating.”

Nobody expected this little film to make such a big impact but that is the beauty of art – innovation can come from anyone who has the courage and talent to make it happen. Currently the film is being released around the world and the DVD arrives in stores on May 6.

Videos:

Official Bella Trailer:

Behind the Scenes: The Making of Bella

Behind the Scenes: The Production of Bella:

Bella 30 sec spot – # 1 on YAHOO & FANDANGO:

Bella 30 sec spot – SOCCER:

Bella 30 sec spot – REALITY:

Bella 30 sec spot – PREGNANT:

Bella 30 sec spot – TODAY:

Bella Movie Producer Sean Wolfington

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 01:19:01 +0000

By Aaron Glickman
SocialMiami.com

Miami is the “Gateway to Latin America,” so it is not surprising that the Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) has grown into a premier event for Latin-inspired works. One such film that is sure to make a splash at this year’s festival is Bella, a heartwarming story about life, relationships and our capacity for love in the face of the unexpected.

Bella, which was financed and produced by Key Biscayne’s Sean Wolfington, marks the directorial debut of Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Monteverde, and has already won the Toronto International Film Festival. MIFF marks the film’s East Coast premiere.

SocialMiami had lunch with Wolfington at the Ritz on Key Biscayne and later joined him at his home where we were met by the film’s leading actor, Mexican superstar Eduardo Verastegui.

Bella is Wolfington’s entrée into the film business, and the fast start echoes previous business success. By age 34 Wolfington had started two companies from scratch and sold them for more than $300 million. He was recognized by Ernst & Young as a top four finalist in their annual ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award, which was won by Wayne Huizenga the previous year. Now at age 35 Wolfington intends to use his technology background to participate in opportunities the internet is generating in film and television. He is creating two media companies – The One Media and Metanoia Films. But for now, Wolfington’s attention is on MIFF.

Producer of Today Show Hoda Kobb, Eduardo Verastegui , Kathie Lee Gifford, Tony Bennett, Susan Bennett and Sean Wolfington

“Following our success at Toronto,” said Wolfington, “we already have three offers on the table. So landing a distribution deal is not our goal at MIFF. Rather, we want to expose Bella to Miami’s Latin community. It’s a romantic drama about a relationship between an American girl and a Mexican guy that goes much deeper than romance. But what Latinos appreciate the most is how we portray the Latin male. We work against the negative stereotypes – drug dealer, criminal, Don Juan, etc – and show an everyday hero, an honest, hard working man who is willing to give his life for family and friends. We’re also taken into his family and see the Latin culture with all its warmth, family values and rich flavor. Latino leaders are promoting the film because it reveals a beautiful side of the Hispanic culture that is not typically seen in films.

Dennis Hopper (Academy Award-Winning Actor), Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) at the Cannes Film Festival in France

Another fascinating aspect contributing to the buzz around Bella is the praise received from the President of the United States. “The Director of Immigration gave the ‘American by Choice’ award to our director Alejandro Monteverde at the White House along with Mayor Diaz from Miami,” said Wolfington. “The award is given by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to immigrants who become citizens and have a positive impact on the country. In addition, Alejandro was invited as a guest of first lady Laura Bush to the State of the Union address. In all honesty, attention like this is humbling and the entire team is honored by the praise.”

After lunch and a quick golf cart ride, we arrived at Wolfington’s ocean front estate. The three-story modern residence was once the home of rock-icon Cher and now home to Wolfington, his wife and four children, and the occasional in vogue visitor like Bella’s lead actor, Eduardo Verastegui. Also visiting was fellow Key Biscayne resident, John Devaney.

Verastegui has a great fondness for Miami. Not only is Miami the city that gave him his professional start in the States – Verastegui recorded a solo music album in Miami after a successful career in Mexican telenovelas – but it’s a city that has a complete mix of all Latin culture. “Miami is the capital of Latin American,” he said. “There are around 19 countries where Spanish is the native language, and they are all represented in Miami. In Mexico, all of my friends are Mexican, but here I have friends from Guatemala, Cuba, Argentina. In no other city is this possible.”

But Verastegui is quick to point out that Bella should not be categorized simply as a Latin film. “Bella transcends culture,” he explained, “which is why it won in Toronto where there are few, if any, Latinos. It is Latin-inspired, but the message is universal. Yet Latinos will like the film because of the positive way in which we portray our culture. Latinos are hungry to see Spanish people portrayed in a positive light, and that’s what we have done with Bella.”

Ana Wolfington, Sean Wolfington, Kathie Lee Gifford, Eduardo Verastegui and Manny Perez

Kathie Lee Gifford, Alejandro Monteverde, Eduardo Verastegui, Tony Bennett and Susan Benedetto

Tony Bennett gives Bella team Award (Ali Landry, Alejandro Monteverde, Eduardo Verastegui, Tony Bennett, Susan Benedetto, Sean Wolfington, and Ana Wolfington

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) and Tony Bennett (Music Legend)

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Paulina Rubio (Singer and Actor), Alejandro Sanz (Grammy Award-Winning Musician and Producer), Angelica Vale (Actor, Singer and Comedienne), Angelica Maria (Actor and Grammy Award-Winning Singer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) at Sanz’s home

The Bella Team: Ana Wolfington, Eustace Wolfington, Leo Serevino, Eduardo Verastegui, Alejandro Monteverde, and Sean Wolfington

Alejandro Sanz and Bella Team at the Wolfington Home

Bella at the White House with Officials

Bella Screening at Smithsonian

Bella Team at the New York Film Festival

Bella Team gets the Movie Guide Award

Bella Team is honored at the White House by the Director of Immigration

Bella Team receives award at the Regent with Kathie Lee Gifford

Bella Team at Regent University

Bella Team with Governor Jeb Bush at the Wolfington Home

Bella Team with Kathie Lee Gifford

Bella Team with LL Cool J at the Tribeca Premiere in New York City

Bella Team with Rosie Perez (Actor)

Bella Team on the field at Super Bowl XXXIX

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Ana Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) at the premiere of Bella

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Ted Baher and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer)

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) in the Red Room of the White House

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Frank Gifford (NFL Legend and Commentator) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) on the field at Super Bowl XLII

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) with Susan Sarandon (Academy Award-Winning Actor) and Emile Hirsch (Actor)

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) with Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) at the Eden Rock Restaurant during the Cannes Film Festival

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) with Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) at the White House standing beside a painting of George Washington

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Emilio Estefan (Grammy Award-Winning Musucian and Producer), Alejandro Monteverde (Director and Producer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) stand inside the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC

Film Producer Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) at the Chopard Party at the Cannes Film Festival

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) enjoy Cannes, France by boat

Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer), Frank Gifford (NFL Legend and Commentator), his wife Kathie Lee Giffors (Former Talk Show Host, Actor, Entertainer, Playwright, and Author) and Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer)

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Texas Governor Rick Perry, Alejandro Monteverde (Director and Producer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer)

Florida Govenor Jeb Bush, his family and the Bella Team

Marshall Bush, Eduardo Verastegui and Sean Wolfington

Art Smith (World-renown chef who has worked for former Florida Governors Bob Graham and Jeb Bush and until 2007 was personal chef to Oprah Winfrey) with Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer)

The Bella Team at Super Bowl XXIX seated at the End Zone

Paul Walker (Actor), Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer)Paul Walker (Actor), Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer)

Manny Perez (Actor), Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and Alejandro Monteverde (Director and Producer) at Regent University Awards

Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) speaking at the White House

Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and Laura Bush (First Lady)

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer), and Alejandro Monteverde (Director and Producer) on the White House lawn

Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer), Ana Wolfington (Financier and Producer) with President George H. W. Bush, Barbara Bush (First Lady) and Governor Jeb Bush

Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer), Art Smith (World-renown chef), Alejandro Sanz (Grammy-Winning Musician and Producer) and Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) at the Wolfington Home

Sean Wolfington Financier and Producer) and his wife Ana Wolfington (Financier and Producer) at the Bella premiere at the Tribecca Film Festival

Dennis Hopper (Academy Award-Winning Actor), Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and Eduardo Verastegui (Financier and Producer) at the Cannes Film Festival in France

Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) speaking at the premiere of the film Bella which he helped produce

Tony Bennett (Music Legend) and Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer)

Ali Landry (Actor), husband Alejandro Monteverde (Director and Producer), Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Tony Bennett (Music Legend), wife Susan Benedetto, Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and wife Ana Wolfington (Financier and Producer) receive an award from Tony Bennett for excellence in the arts

Tony Bennett (Music Legend and also an accomplished painter) paints a portrait for his good friend Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer)

Susan Benedetto, Tony Bennett (Music Legend), Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer)

Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer) listens as Tony Bennett (Music Legend) praises Bella after world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival

Tony Bennett (Music Legend), Ana Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and husband Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer)

Ana Wolfington (Financier and Producer), Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer), Eduardo Verastegui (Actor and Producer), Colate Vallejo-Najera. Bella was the #1 Rated Film in the US in 2007 and was the top grossing Hispanic themed film of the year.

Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer), Ana Wolfington (Financier and Producer) and Manny Diaz (Mayor of Miami)

Robin Williams (Academy Award-Winning Actor) with Ana Wolfington (Fianncier and Producer) and Sean Wolfington (Financier and Producer

To Learn More about Bella visit: www.BellaMovieNews.com

Making of the movie Bella

admin — Mon, 02 May 2011 01:16:00 +0000

The making of Bella, with Producer/Financier Sean Wolfington, Writer/Director Alejandro Monteverde, Actor/Producer Eduardo Verastegui, and Actor Ali Landry.

To Learn More about Bella visit: www.BellaMovieNews.com

Music Legend Tony Bennett praises Bella

admin — Sun, 01 May 2011 01:10:00 +0000

Tony Bennett is one of the most celebrated music artists of our lifetime, and great supporter of the film Bella. During his decades-long career he has won numerous awards, including multiple Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is also an accomplished painter and supporter of fine arts.

To Learn More about Bella visit: www.BellaMovieNews.com

Alejandro Sanz praises Bella

admin — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 01:07:00 +0000

Alejandro Sanz is an award winning, Spanish pop/ballad musician and singer-songwriter. Sanz is the recipient of 14 Latin Grammy Awards and two Grammy Awards. He became worldwide known in 2005 after his collaboration with Colombian singer Shakira for her hit La Tortura.

To Learn More about Bella visit: www.BellaMovieNews.com

Kathie Lee meets Sean Wolfington and Eduardo Verastegui

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:06:00 +0000

Audio excerpt from Kathie Lee Gifford’s new book, “Just When I Thought I Dropped My Last Egg”. Kathie Lee Gifford is a television hostess, singer, actor, noted for her 15-year run (1985–2000) on the talk show “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee”, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin. She has received 11 Emmy nominations.