J. Michael Cline, Fandango Founder and Prominent Tech Entrepreneur, Dies at 64

James Michael Cline, the finance executive who founded Fandango in 2000 and remained with the company through 2011, died Tuesday in Manhattan of an apparent suicide. He was 64.

The finance executive is suspected of jumping from the 20th floor of the Kimberly Hotel.

NYPD said in a statement that officers responded to the Kimberly Hotel Tuesday morning. “Upon arrival, officers found an unconscious and unresponsive male with injuries indicative of a fall from an elevated position. The investigation remains ongoing,” authorities said in a statement to media.

Cline and Art Levitt founded Fandango in 2000. The pair built relationships with movie theater chains Loews Cineplex Entertainment, Regal Cinemas, Carmike Cinemas, Cinemark Theaters, General Cinema Theaters, Edwards Theatres and Century Theatres to create the online service that simplified the process of buying advance movie tickets for cinema goers.

Fandango was acquired by Comcast in 2007. Cline left his role at the company in 2011 and founded several companies, including the hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, hospital supply company Accumen, Inc. and online education company Everspring Inc. among others.

At the time of his death, Cline was the executive chairman of Juxtapose and a managing partner at Accretive, both companies that fund start-ups.

J. Michael Cline attended Cornell University from 1977-1981 and received his BS in Entrepreneurism. He graduated from Harvard Business School in 1985.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org .

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