The president and general operations manager at Tyler Perry Studios, Steve Mensch, died in a single-seater plane crash in Florida on Friday, TMZ reported.
The crash occurred in Homosassa, near the Gulf Coast, and is under investigation, according to Highway Patrol Troopers.
He served as a president of Tyler Perry Studios since 2016, as reported by the New York Post. Mensch, 62, oversaw operations at the 300-acre Atlanta studio and was a prominent figure in Georgia’s business community, according to his LinkedIn profile.
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Tyler Perry Studios expressed their sadness over his passing in a recent statement. “We are incredibly saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Steve Mensch,” a rep for Tyler Perry Studios said in a statement, per Deadline.
“Steve was a cherished member of our team for more than 8 years, and well-beloved in the community of Atlanta. It is hard to imagine not seeing him smiling throughout the halls. We will miss him dearly. Our heart goes out to his family as we all send them our prayers.”
Mensch is survived by his wife and three children.
His death follows Tyler Perry’s recent recognition at the Paley Center for Media’s annual fall gala, where the 55-year-old was honored for his contributions as an actor, writer, director, producer, philanthropist, and founder of Tyler Perry Studios.
At the Paley Center for Media’s annual fall gala, Oprah Winfrey, 70, took the stage to honor her longtime friend, Perry.
“I am just delighted to be here tonight — and I really do mean that, because I don’t like to go out much — but I’m out tonight because I get to talk about my big little brother,” the talk show host declared.
“He is a giant among men. Not only in what you see in his 6’6″ physical stature, but he is a giant soul. He has a ginormous spirit that is guided by a divine hand.“
