John "Gungie" Rivera

John "Gungie" Rivera (born August 24, 1964) is a CEO, nonprofit director, concert promoter, nightclub owner, restaurateur, author, and American music industry executive. Rivera owned a Latin music record label, Prestigio, which was distributed by Sony, and has created marketing and promotional companies including Prestige Productions, Victory II Multimedia, and the Rivera Marketing and Media Group.  He is also the founder of multiple nonprofit organizations such as Salsa the Vote, an initiative to encourage the Latinx community to register to vote. In 2009, he founded the Cristian Rivera Foundation in memory of his late son, Cristian, who died from a rare brain tumor known as DIPG.

Early life

Rivera was born in the Bronx on August 24, 1964. He went on to receive a BA in marketing from Baruch College, a constituent school of the City University of New York.

Career

Rivera began his DJ and night-life entertainment career at the age of 15 by playing at Sweet Sixteens and other private events. In his late teens, he formed a DJ partnership with Little Louie Vega, who later won multiple Grammys and is one of the top DJs and producers in the world. In his early 20s, Rivera was playing at huge outdoor venues for the radio station Hot 97.

By the beginning of the 1990s, he was a nightclub owner and promoter, owning six clubs and promoting over 100 clubs throughout his career, including China Club, Roseland, Palladium, Roxy, Latin Quarters, Exit, Carbon, Expo, Octagon, and Copacabana.

Rivera was successful in the Latin American Music industry, starting Prestigio Recordings Label in 1998 under the Sony Music Umbrella. The label’s first signing was pop dance music star George Lamond, who had top-10 Billboard dance chart hits. He became one of the fastest selling artists in Sony history to go Gold. The label highlighted upcoming, young Latin artists and influenced the incorporation of Latin-fusion styles into popular music.

His previous experience as a DJ and NYC club promoter added to his success as a concert producer at venues such as Madison Square Garden, Hollywood Bowl, and many others in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Japan. As president and CEO of Prestige Productions, Rivera partnered with Ralph Mercado Sr. for nine and a half years, and Henry Cardenas for two and a half years to produce Latin concerts.

In 2005, Rivera created the marketing and promotional company, Victory II Multimedia, as a spinoff from Prestige Productions, to continue his work in the field. The company promoted shows for artists like Daddy Yankee at Madison Square Garden. However, Rivera became inactive in the company as he began to deal with his son’s diagnosis and eventual death.

From 2012-2014, Rivera was the owner of a restaurant named “Babalu” located in the Throggs Neck area of the Bronx. “Babalu” served Latino inspired dishes and was known for music and dancing. One of Rivera’s partners at the restaurant was celebrity chef Alex Garcia.

Political consulting

Rivera has been active in consulting for several political candidates in the New York City area, including Fernando Ferrer in his NYC mayoral candidacy in 2001, and again when he was chosen as the Democratic party nominee in 2005. He continued his participation in 2020, consulting Frank Pallotta in his race for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey’s 5th District. Rivera consulted for 2021 NYC mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa. In 2022, he handled marketing for Alberto Torres in the New York State 84th Assembly District Democratic primary. He offered his marketing, creative services, and media buying expertise during the candidacies of those politicians and played a role in fundraising efforts. He has also worked side-by-side with the MiRam Group, a political consulting firm where Luis A. Miranda Jr., Lin-Manuel Miranda’s father, is a partner.

Rivera Marketing and Media Group

The Rivera Marketing and Media Group has clients in fields such as athletics, entertainment, and politics. The agency specializes in marketing, social media, creative services, etc. for companies and clients based in the New York City Metropolitan area. Clients of Rivera Marketing and Media Group have included Kenan Thompson, the Bronx Tourism Council, Grammy Award winning producers DJ John “Jellybean” Benitez and DJ Louie Vega, NY Knicks Great Anthony Mason, the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, MTV, Sony, Universal, and more.

Nonprofits

Cristian Rivera Foundation

Rivera at the Cristian Rivera Foundation Full Steam Ahead 5K in June 2022. Also pictured are Dr. Mark Souweidane and Jesselyn Silva.

In 2007, Rivera’s son, Cristian, was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG, a rare brain tumor that predominantly affects children under the age of nine. Two years later, Cristian died at the age of six, and Rivera founded the Cristian Rivera Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for DIPG. With the help of donations, the Cristian Rivera Foundation funds the work of Dr. Mark M. Souweidane at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. The foundation has also supported Dr. Oren Becher, Chief of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, in creating models to allow for a better understanding of the makeup of DIPG tumors. To date, the Cristian Rivera Foundation has donated more than $2 million to doctors and the families of DIPG patients.

There have been four survivors from the clinical trials conducted at Weill Cornell Medical College which include Lisha Ayala and Emiliano Bermejo.

Events

One way that the Cristian Rivera Foundation raises money is through its annual Celebrity Gala, where famous friends of Rivera come to support the cause by making donations, entering raffles, and purchasing auctioned items. Each year, medical staff and families of DIPG victims are honored for their hard work and resilience. The 12th Annual Celebrity Gala was held in November of 2021. The event sold out with record-breaking attendance and fundraising. Some high profile guests who gave speeches included Kenan Thompson, Gio Urshela, Curtis Sliwa, and Darlene Rodriguez.

The Cristian Rivera Foundation’s “Full Steam Ahead 5K,” started in 2018, aids in fundraising for DIPG research. In June 2022, the 5K was held in honor of Jesselyn Silva, who was diagnosed with DIPG in July 2021. Each year, 100% of funds raised contribute to the research of DIPG and support for families.

Cristian's Journey by John "Gungie" Rivera.

The foundation also hosts an annual boat ride in July on the Circle Line with musical performances.

Cristian's Journey

In 2018, Rivera published a children’s book titled Cristian’s Journey. All proceeds from the book are donated to DIPG research. The book is described as being about a little boy who spreads kindness and love despite hardship. Cristian’s Journey was additionally edited by Robert Dominguez, managing editor of the New York Daily News.

Other nonprofits

Guardian Angels

Rivera sits on the board of the Guardian Angels, a non-profit, New York City-based group that creates safety patrols throughout the U.S. and the world.

Salsa the Vote

In the late 1990s, Rivera was approached by other music industry executives who asked him to join them in their effort to increase civic engagement. Many of these executives worked to inspire the youth vote, since their music was popular among young adults. Rivera, being involved with the Latinx community through his nightclubs, concerts, and record label, decided to create his own nonprofit, Salsa the Vote, to encourage the Latinx community to register to vote. Using Rivera’s experience with nightclubs and promotion, Salsa the Vote was able to register tens of thousands of people in one year at their various events. Salsa the Vote still operates today.

Other

Rivera has also organized fundraising membership drives for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, produced galas for the Promesa Foundation, and volunteered his time with the Latino division of the charity LIFEbeat. 

References

This article "John "Gungie" Rivera" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:John "Gungie" Rivera. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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