Stuart Subotnick is President and Chief Executive Officer of Metromedia Company.
Mr. Subotnick, a former IRS Revenue Agent, began his career with Metromedia Inc. in 1967 as it’s Federal Tax Manager. During the next 14 years, he rose through the organization becoming Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 1981. Mr. Subotnick was the architect of the leveraged $1.2 Billion buyout of Metromedia Inc. in 1984. He was responsible for refinancing Metromedia’s buyout debt, creating the first major zero high yield coupon bonds. After Metromedia went private in 1986, he became General Partner and Executive Vice President.
In 1982 Mr. Subotnick applied for and was awarded the first non-telecom cellular licenses in New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia Washington, Baltimore and Dallas. He also took Metromedia into the Long Distance, Fiber Optics, and WI-FI businesses. Additionally he brought these various communication technologies to Russia and surrounding countries, China, and Cuba.
In 1995 Mr. Subotnick and several other investment groups created Major League Soccer. Mr. Subotnick served as the League’s first Chairman Of The Board from 1995-2001. Mr. Subotnick also became a successful participant in the Thoroughbred Industry, where he raced and bred many Graded Stakes winners. In 2001 he was the leading small breeder in the U.S. Over the years he raced 6 Divisional N.Y. Bred Champions. In 2013 he was New York State Breeder Of The Year.
Mr. Subotnick is a member of the Boards of Directors of Carnival Corporation (former lead director), The Shubert Organization and Foundation, The New York Racing Association (former Vice-Chairman), Brooklyn Law School (former-Chairman), Spot On Networks Inc., and the Baruch College Fund-emeritus. He has formerly served on the Boards of Abovenet Inc., Conair Corporation, Orion Pictures Corporation (Vice-Chairman), Big City Radio Inc. (Chairman), Sepsis Alliance, Central Park Conservancy, Herbie Hancock Institute Of Jazz, Overcoming Obstacle’s, University Of Scranton, Park East Synagogue, and Beth Israel Hospital.
He has received honorary degrees from the University of Scranton, Baruch College, and Brooklyn Law School and has been honored by the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, Brooklyn Law School, Park East Synagogue, The Jerusalem Fund, Overcoming Obstacles, Back To Brooklyn Foundation, and the Jewish Community House Of Bensonhurst.
Mr. Subotnick graduated from the City College Of New York (Baruch Business School) with a BBS degree in 1962. He received his JD degree from Brooklyn Law School in1968, and an LLM degree in Taxation from New York University in 1974. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1969 and to practice before the Tax Court of the United States the same year.
Inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame in 2022.
Stuart Subotnick 2022 Induction Video