Biography
John has over three decades of strategic experience in the entertainment industry. His experience involves an integration of talent representation, events, television and film development and production.
As a filmmaker, John has served as a producer on four movies, including the independent feature film "Pursuit of Happiness," a romantic comedy that starred Frank Whaley, Annabeth Gish and Jean Stapleton, which he also wrote. The Martindale Group production was released in theaters in 2001. Other credits include "Picture Perfect" (ABC), "Nervous Ticks" (Columbia) and "Men of Respect" (Columbia).
He produced the Cabo Comedy Festival for NUVO network and Sirius-XM from 2013 - 2015, and the Puerta Vallarta Classic Rock Festival at the Hard Rock Hotel. In May 2008, John produced the FULLTILTPOKER.NET/World Series of Golf for CBS Sports, a high stakes golf event held in Las Vegas at The Mirage and Paiute Golf Resort.
From 1993 through December of 2007, John was the President of Zaring/Cioffi Entertainment, LLC (ZCE), an event production firm that specialized in televised celebrity sports and special events. Among ZCE's properties were Richard Karn StarDays (Seattle, 1993-99), Marg Helgenberger & Alan Rosenberg Celebrity Weekend (Omaha, 1997-2006), Dennis Quaid Charity Weekend (Austin, 2003 - 2007) and NAACP Image Awards (LA, 2005 - 2007). ZCE was purchased on September 27, 2007 by SportsQuest Inc., a publicly traded (symbol: SPQS) sports marketing company based in Orlando.
While in college, John interned in the publicity department of the Philadelphia Phillies organization, whetting his appetite for the sports and entertainment business. After graduating from Nova University in Ft. Lauderdale, John moved to Los Angeles. In 1985, as a publicist at Wilkinson & Associates, he represented many high-profile television actors including William Devane, Charlene Tilton, Katherine Ross, Jack Coleman and Shannen Doherty, and booked talent for ski, tennis and golf events.
In 1988, John moved to the talent management/publicity firm Film Associates, Inc., as Vice President. While there, he counted "Dynasty" stars Coleman and Emma Samms, and Emmy-nominated Richard Marcus ("St. Elsewhere"), among his dozen clients. For Samms' charity, the Starlight Foundation, John began producing celebrity events.
In 1992, John struck out on his own, building upon a client list that included Coleman ("Heroes") and Marcus ("The Pretender"), Richard Karn ("Home Improvement") and Nicole Eggert ("Baywatch"). In 1993, he partnered with casting director Bianca Cioffi to form Zaring/Cioffi Entertainment, and added Casey Sander ("Grace Under Fire"), Kenneth Kimmins ("Coach"), Charlie Robinson ("Love & War") and Emmy winner Gordon Clapp ("NYPD Blue") as clients. With the creation of a celebrity golf event for Karn in 1993, the firm began producing televised events, which became its core business in 1999.
