{{short description|American businessman (born 1957)}} {{Use American English|date=January 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Strauss Zelnick | image = Strauss Zelnick, 2015 (16339090774).jpg | caption = Zelnick in 2015 | birth_name = Harry Strauss Zelnick | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|06|26}} | birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | education = {{Plainlist| * Wesleyan University (BA) * Harvard University (MBA, JD) }} | occupation = {{hlist|Businessman|lawyer}} | years_active = 1983–present | known_for = {{Plainlist| * Chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive * CEO and managing partner of ZMC }} | net_worth = <!-- Net worth should be supported with a citation from a reliable source --> | boards = | spouse = {{Marriage|Wendy J. Belzberg|1990}} | children = 3 }}
'''Harry Strauss Zelnick''' (born June 26, 1957) is an American businessman and lawyer. He is the founder, CEO, and managing partner of private equity firm ZMC, the chairman and CEO of video game company Take-Two Interactive, and the former chairman of media conglomerate CBS Corporation.
== Early life and education == Harry Strauss Zelnick was born on June 26, 1957, in Boston, Massachusetts, into a Jewish family.<ref name="Ageless" /><ref name="Sound Bytes">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/13/business/sound-bytes-the-not-so-silent-screen.html |title=Sound Bytes; The Not-So-Silent Screen |first=Lawrence M. |last=Fisher |date=February 13, 1994 |website=The New York Times |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125183052/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/13/business/sound-bytes-the-not-so-silent-screen.html |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Classmates">{{cite web |url=https://www.classmates.com/people/Harry-Strauss-Zelnick/420633761 |title=Harry Strauss Zelnick from Columbia High School |website=Classmates.com |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125183055/https://www.classmates.com/people/Harry-Strauss-Zelnick/420633761 |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> His mother, Susan Manello ({{Nee|Strauss}}), died on October 22, 1967, when Harry was ten years old.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69833205/obituary-for-susan-strauss-manello/ |title=Obituary for Susan Strauss Manello |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=October 24, 1967 |page=43 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=February 10, 2021 |archive-date=February 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210090556/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69833205/obituary-for-susan-strauss-manello/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He and his siblings were raised by their aunt Elsa (née Strauss) and her husband Allan<!-- Some sources spell his name as "Alan" --> Zelnick (died in 2013). He grew up in South Orange, New Jersey.<ref name="Sound Bytes" /><ref name="Barron's">{{cite web |url=https://www.barrons.com/articles/master-of-the-game-1385804536 |title=Master of the Game |first=Dyan |last=Machan |date=November 30, 2013 |website=Barron's |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125183058/https://www.barrons.com/articles/master-of-the-game-1385804536 |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Obituary">{{cite web |url=https://obits.nj.com/obituaries/starledger/obituary.aspx?n=alan-zelnick&pid=164429318&fhid=17116 |title={{sic|Alan|nolink=yes}} Zelnick Obituary |date=April 24, 2013 |website=The Star-Ledger |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125183101/https://obits.nj.com/obituaries/starledger/obituary.aspx?n=alan-zelnick&pid=164429318&fhid=17116 |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Strauss Zelnick graduated in 1975 from Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey, and studied psychology and English at Wesleyan University from 1975 until 1979, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors.<ref name="Sound Bytes" /><ref name="Classmates" /><ref name="Barron's" /><ref name="WSJ">{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-take-twos-ceo-powered-up-11565355601 |title=How Take-Two's CEO Powered Up |first=Sarah E. |last=Needleman |date=August 9, 2019 |website=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125183103/https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-take-twos-ceo-powered-up-11565355601 |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> During his time at Wesleyan, he was the national public relations director for the Coalition of Independent College and University Students (COPUS).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/06/12/archives/letters-carters-solar-program-who-will-benefit-ford-motor-there-has.html |title=Letters |first=Donna E. |last=Shalala |work=The New York Times |date=June 12, 1978 |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125183108/https://www.nytimes.com/1978/06/12/archives/letters-carters-solar-program-who-will-benefit-ford-motor-there-has.html |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Zelnick simultaneously enrolled at Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School in 1979, obtaining a Master of Business Administration degree from the former in 1982 and a Juris Doctor from the latter in 1983.<ref name="Classmates" /><ref name="Barron's" /><ref name="WSJ" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.alumni.hbs.edu/stories/Pages/story-bulletin.aspx?num=6861 |title=Alumni and Faculty Books for December 2018 |date=December 1, 2018 |website=Harvard Business School |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125183948/https://www.alumni.hbs.edu/stories/Pages/story-bulletin.aspx?num=6861 |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Career == In 1983, he started as vice president for television international sales at Columbia Pictures International Television. In 1986, he joined Vestron Inc. as senior vice president of corporate development. He became executive vice president the following year and was promoted to president in 1988, overseeing all managing operations for the company.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1988-01-27 |title=Zelnick upped to Vestron Inc. prez |page=7 |work=Variety}}</ref> He quit in 1989 to join 20th Century Fox as president and CEO<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ross |first=Philip E. |date=1989-08-18 |title=BUSINESS PEOPLE; President of Vestron Picked For a Top Post at Fox Film |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/18/business/business-people-president-of-vestron-picked-for-a-top-post-at-fox.html |access-date=2022-04-05 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> before leaving that role in 1993 to join Crystal Dynamics.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Citron |first=Alan| date=June 21, 1993 |title=Fox President Expected to Quit Studio : Entertainment: Sources say Strauss Zelnick is leaving to take the top job at Crystal Dynamics, a Silicon Valley video game maker. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-21-fi-5419-story.html |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>
Zelnick is the chief executive officer and managing partner of ZMC, a private equity investment firm based in New York City specializing in leveraged buyouts and growth capital.<ref>{{cite web |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=July 21, 2008 |title=E3 perspective: Q&A with Chairman Strauss Zelnick on the future of Take-Two Interactive |url=https://venturebeat.com/2008/07/21/qa-chairman-strauss-zelnick-on-the-future-of-take-two-interactive/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905023402/https://venturebeat.com/2008/07/21/qa-chairman-strauss-zelnick-on-the-future-of-take-two-interactive/ |archive-date=September 5, 2018 |access-date=September 4, 2018 |website=VentureBeat}}</ref> He founded ZMC in 2001 with a starting capital of {{US$|300,000|link=yes}}.<ref name="BoF">{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvmbgX3X9YI |title=Why Age Is Irrelevant {{!}} Strauss Zelnick {{!}} #BoFVOICES 2017 |date=May 21, 2018 |publisher=The Business of Fashion |access-date=September 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220124209/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvmbgX3X9YI&gl=US&hl=en&has_verified=1&bpctr=9999999999 |archive-date=December 20, 2019 |url-status=live |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref name="Forbes">{{cite web |last=Coffrey |first=Brendan |date=May 16, 2011 |title=CEOs Who Make One Dollar (Or Less) A Year |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/brendancoffey/2011/05/16/ceos-who-make-one-dollar-or-less-a-year/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903215713/https://www.forbes.com/sites/brendancoffey/2011/05/16/ceos-who-make-one-dollar-or-less-a-year/ |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |access-date=September 3, 2018 |website=Forbes}}</ref> Following an investor-staged takeover of Take-Two Interactive in 2007, Zelnick became the chairman, chief executive officer, and largest single shareholder of Take-Two.<ref>{{cite web |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=July 1, 2015 |title=This non-gamer runs one of the world's biggest video game companies |url=http://fortune.com/2015/07/01/strauss-zelnick-take-two/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605204708/http://fortune.com/2015/07/01/strauss-zelnick-take-two/ |archive-date=June 5, 2017 |access-date=July 13, 2016 |website=Fortune}}</ref>
Strauss Zelnick served as Chairman of the Board of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) from July 2014 to July 2017. As of 2025, he is no longer listed as a board member of either the ESA or the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).<ref name="take2bio">{{cite web |title=Strauss Zelnick – Board Member |url=https://www.take2games.com/ir/management/strauss-zelnick |website=Take-Two Interactive |access-date=2025-08-05 |quote=Strauss Zelnick served as chairman of the board of the Entertainment Software Association from July 2014 to July 2017.}}</ref><ref name="eriktwice">{{cite web |last=Erik Twice |title=How Video Games Are Censored – Part I: Classification Boards |url=https://eriktwice.com/en/2025/07/18/how-video-games-censored-part-i-classification-boards/ |website=Erik Twice |date=2025-07-18 |access-date=2025-08-05 |quote=Strauss Zelnick, former chairman of the Entertainment Software Association...}}</ref>
Zelnick was appointed to the board of CBS Corporation in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=2018-10-21 |title=Richard Parsons Steps Down as CBS Chairman; Strauss Zelnick to Take Role |url=https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/strauss-zelnick-richard-parsons-cbs-chairman-1202987847/ |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2021, ZMC purchased a controlling interest in The Second City, a Chicago-based comedy troupe.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hayes |first=Dade |date=2021-02-18 |title=Famed Comedy Outfit The Second City Acquired By Strauss Zelnick-Run Private Equity Firm ZMC |url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/second-city-improv-comedy-acquired-by-strauss-zelnick-private-equity-firm-zmc-1234696308/ |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life == Zelnick is Jewish.<ref name="Ageless">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4_ZMDwAAQBAJ |title=Becoming Ageless: The Four Secrets To Looking and Feeling Younger Than Ever |first1=Strauss |last1=Zelnick |date=September 4, 2018 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=9781940358192 |access-date=November 13, 2020 |archive-date=February 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210090425/https://books.google.com/books?id=4_ZMDwAAQBAJ |url-status=live |quote=I'm Jewish by background, and I feel connected to that religion and am happy to describe myself that way...}}</ref> He has four sisters: Karen Davis, Beth Kaufman, Marci Zelnick Rodriguez, and Laurie Zelnick.<ref name="Obituary" /> His brother, Carl D. Zelnick, died in 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://abacus.bates.edu/pubs/S95Notes/obituaries.html |title=Deaths |publisher=Bates College |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125184244/http://abacus.bates.edu/pubs/S95Notes/obituaries.html |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Zelnick married Wendy J. Belzberg, the daughter of Samuel Belzberg, in January 1990; their engagement was announced by Belzberg's parents in December 1989.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/03/style/wendy-j-belzberg-to-wed-in-january.html |title=Wendy J. Belzberg to Wed in January |date=December 3, 1989 |website=The New York Times |access-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125184251/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/03/style/wendy-j-belzberg-to-wed-in-january.html |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> They have two sons and a daughter; Cooper, Lucas, and Leigh.<ref name="Sound Bytes" /><ref name="Ageless" />{{rp|204}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zelnick, Strauss}} Category:1957 births Category:20th-century American businesspeople Category:20th-century American Jews Category:21st-century American businesspeople Category:21st-century American Jews Category:American businesspeople in the video game industry Category:American chairpersons of corporations Category:American chief executives in technology Category:American chief executives of financial services companies Category:American financial company founders Category:American investors Category:American media executives Category:Businesspeople from Boston Category:Businesspeople from Essex County, New Jersey Category:Columbia High School (New Jersey) alumni Category:Harvard Business School alumni Category:Harvard Law School alumni Category:Jews from Massachusetts Category:Jews from New Jersey Category:Living people Category:Mass media people from Boston Category:Mass media people from New Jersey Category:Paramount Skydance people Category:People from South Orange, New Jersey Category:Private equity and venture capital investors Category:Take-Two Interactive Category:Wesleyan University alumni