The Producers
Over 150 years of combined movie and television experience have been assembled on this team to create The Confessions of Al McGuire
Jim Meier, Executive Producer / Investor
Marquette BS ’84 Jim is a retired finance executive with experience in cross-functional financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis and reporting, profitability analysis, and cost management and control. He worked as an auditor at Ernst & Young before holding various finance roles at Philip Morris, Miller Brewing Company, and MillerCoors, where he retired as Vice President of Commercial Finance in 2018. Jim serves on the Boards or Finance Committees of several organizations, including the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, the Wisconsin Club, the Racine St. Catherine’s High School Foundation, and the Marketing Accountability Standards Board. Jim is a member of Marquette’s President’s Advisory Council and is also a limited partner in the MUKC Fund I venture capital fund. In 2017, he was the recipient of the Service to Marquette Award from the National Alumni Association.
Charles Ries, Executive Producer / Investor
Charles P. Ries is Executive Producer of The Confessions of Al McGuire. Over his 50-year career in fund development (27 years at Marquette University) he is credited with raising over $170 million for a variety of philanthropic, social impact, business, arts, and equity driven endeavors. Ries and Michael Angeli are co-creators of a screen play that is in pre-production called
Can Boys Fly: https://cbfreader.site/ Can Boys Fly is based on a novel by Charles P. Ries titled: The Fathers We Find: https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780692481387
Ries is also an award-winning poet: https://www.marquette.edu/library/archives/Mss/CPR/ He is both the lyricist and voice for the art band: Spotify – Charles P. Ries & the Minktronics & https://shepherdexpress.com/music/local-music/minktronics-present-poetry-music-love-death-and-mink/ & https://shepherdexpress.com/music/local-music/minktronics-return-with-new-music-and-streaming-series/
Eric Schnabel, Executive Producer / Investor
Marquette Comms ’93 With three decades of advertising, branding and digital marketing experience, Eric’s body of work includes innovative projects such as BMW Films, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge as well as the use of Meta’s platforms across industries. Multiple executive leadership positions at Fortune 100 private and publicly held companies. On the board of Free Spirit Media, partnering with young digital creators from the West and South sides of Chicago, to develop and amplify their unique and critical voices through storytelling and media arts. He’s grateful to be applying all he learned to making Al McGuire a household name.
Daniel Kattman, Executive Producer / Legal
Marquette BA ’95, JD ’00 Daniel Kattman, executive producer and legal advisor, is a seasoned entertainment attorney with over 20 years of expertise in the motion picture, television, music and book publishing industries. He works with filmmakers to secure financing for independent films, documentaries, and secure name talent in domestic and foreign distribution. He has represented NY Times best-selling authors, internationally recognized celebrity chefs, actors, world-class art museums, independent film distributors, international sales agents, video game developers, record labels, music publishers and artists. Dan has also been actively involved as a producer on feature films, television programs and documentaries. This unique experience enables Dan to understand the goals and challenges of his entertainment clients and gives him a thorough understanding of both the legal and business aspects of this complex industry.
Lacey Sadoff, Executive Producer
Lacey Sadoff is the fourth-generation co-owner and president of Badger Liquor, Wisconsin’s largest wine and spirits distributor, where she has helped lead substantial growth and modernization of the family business while employing hundreds of people across the state. A Marquette University journalism graduate and alumna of Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management program, she is also board chair of Milwaukee Film, serves on boards such as Radio Milwaukee and the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, and is known for philanthropic support of arts, culture, female-led enterprises, and community initiatives in Milwaukee and Fond du Lac.
Karen (Katarina) Angeli, Co-Executive Producer
Katarina earned a degree in interior design at the College of Northwest London. She worked for Virgin Records when they were in their infancy in the early 1970’s, traveling across the UK expanding their record stores. Returning to the US, she settled in Los Angeles with Michael where they raised a family. Kat worked for commercial design firms as a project manager. While in Los Angeles, she also earned a double major from UCLA. Now back home in Milwaukee, her project management skills easily segue into producing with this distinctive team.
Jamie Dyckes, Co-Executive Producer / Investor
Marquette BA ’92 Jamie is a former Asst AD of Marketing for the Marquette Athletic department and was the Executive Producer of the Marquette Basketball local television broadcasts which Coach McGuire served as a color analyst in the late 1990’s. He worked for several major league sports franchises including the Los Angeles Angels and the Anaheim Ducks, and spent the last 25 years at DIRECTV marketing sports and entertainment services as Vice President of Sports & Revenue Marketing. He has an extensive marketing background working with HBO, Starz, Showtime, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney, Sony, Warner Brothers as well as all four major U.S. sports leagues. Multiple award winner for marketing campaigns on Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Shark Week and NFL Sunday Ticket. He was responsible for securing contractual talent for many DIRECTV television commercials including Peyton and Eli Manning, Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, Andrew Luck, Jimmy Garoppolo, and other players (Christian McCaffrey, Joe Montana, Emmitt Smith, Tony Romo, Derrick Henry, Tua Tagovailoa, Randy Moss, Tony Gonzalez) for other DIRECTV live events. Two time SAMY award winner.
Bill Johnson, S.J., Co-Producer / Film Chaplain
Fr. Bill Johnson, is a native to Milwaukee. He graduated from Marquette University High School in 1971. After graduation, Fr. Bill attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, followed by the Weston Jesuit School of Theology, and Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was a co-founder of Nativity Jesuit Middle School. Bill was on the founding leadership team of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Twin Cities, which later led to his involvement in starting the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Milwaukee. He is currently the Vice President of Strategic Growth at the school. Before returning to Milwaukee, Fr. Bill spent three years in the Dominican Republic as the pastoral director of Creighton University’s Institute of Latin American Concern.
Gabriella Santamaria, Consulting Producer
Gabriella Santamaria is a Milwaukee-based public relations practitioner who works as an account executive with Interdependence Public Relations, specializing in consumer, travel, and entertainment clients and securing coverage in major national outlets. A graduate of Marquette University with a bachelor’s degree in public relations, advertising, and applied communication, she previously held roles at Trozzolo Communications Group and gained early experience through Marquette-affiliated agencies and local nonprofit communications internships, building expertise in media relations, social strategy, and brand storytelling.