CRAIG PLESTIS
SVP, Alternative Programs & Development, NBC Universal
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Craig Plestis is Senior Vice President of Alternative Programs and Development at NBC Universal. In this role, Plestis reports to Jeff Gaspin, President, NBC Universal Cable Entertainment & Cross-Platform Strategy, and is in charge of reality series programs and development. He currently oversees the unscripted series "The Apprentice" (produced by Mark Burnett and hosted by Donald Trump), "The Contender" (produced by Mark Burnett, Sylvester Stallone and Jeffery Katzenberg), "For Love or Money" and "Who Wants to Marry My Dad?" Previously, Plestis was appointed as Vice President, Alternative Programs, NBC Entertainment, in May 2003. "Since the day he started, Craig has delivered for us on every occasion, most recently with the huge success of 'The Apprentice,'" said Gaspin. "This promotion is well-deserved and provides him with even more opportunities to contribute." In his new role, Plestis will be charged with overseeing day-to-day operations, current programming oversight for existing reality shows as well as development of alternative series for NBC. Previously, as Vice President, Alternative Programs, Plestis was responsible for shepherding and developing alternative series programs. He oversaw the monster hit unscripted series "The Apprentice," "For Love or Money" and "Who Wants to Marry My Dad?" Earlier, Plestis had served as Vice President, On-Air Promotions, The NBC Agency, where he supervised the on-air promotion of NBC's drama series, alternative series, movies and miniseries. Earlier, he had been Director, On-Air Promotion, The NBC Agency, where he concentrated on drama series. Plestis first worked for NBC in 1997 as a freelance writer-producer and quickly gained a staff position when he became Senior Writer-Producer, The NBC Agency. Before he came to NBC, Plestis worked as a producer at Notorious Pictures, where he helped launch the promotion efforts for UPN. He had worked in on-air promotions for the Jacobson-Gerber advertising agency where he handled the CBS account. He first came to Los Angeles in 1992 to do freelance production. After he graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in film from the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Plestis found his first professional jobs in commercial work for small production companies. He served as Director of Photography for the Woolworth Co. for 18 months, where he did in-house assignments for the firm's many subsidiary companies. Plestis was born and raised in Binghamton, New York. He and his wife, Karen Kaplan, the Collector's Edition Editor for Bon Appetit magazine, reside with their 8-year-old daughter, Clara, in Studio City, California.