Steve Mensch, the president and general manager of studio operations at Tyler Perry Studios, has died in a plane crash, officials said.
The Florida Highway Patrol said troopers found the 62-year-old dead at the site where a single-seat plane went down near the intersection of Highway 19 and Longfellow St. in Homosassa, Florida.
Mensch was the pilot of the plane, a source close to the studio confirmed to Fox News. No other fatalities have been reported and the cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
“We are incredibly saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Steve Mensch. Steve was a cherished member of our team for more than 8 years, and well beloved in the community of Atlanta,” Tyler Perry Studios said in a statement.
“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 has been the president of the entertainment company since 2016.
“Steve Mensch is considered one of the most influential people in the film and TV production industry in Georgia. He has executive experience in operations, strategic planning, budgeting, business development, and marketing at some of the biggest companies in the industry,” his bio reads in part.
Mensch is survived by his wife and three children.
Perry opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta in 2019 after purchasing a 300-acre lot, although the company was established in 2006.
The studio boasts permanent sets including a a luxury hotel lobby, a White House replica, a 16,000-square-foot mansion, a mock cheap hotel, a commercial plane, and a real 1950s-style diner that was relocated from a town 100 miles away.
It also hosts 12 soundstages named after highly accomplished African-Americans in the entertainment industry
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp expressed his condolences on social media following Mensch’s death, praising him as “a good man” and lauding his contributions to the state’s film industry.
“A good man and an instrumental part of a studio Georgia is proud to call its own, his achievements made our state better and brought more opportunities to its people,” Kemp said on X. “His loved ones and the entire Tyler Perry Studios team will be in our thoughts and prayers as they mourn this loss.”
