Oren Koules

Oren Koules is a renaissance man of sorts, as he is a respected figure in both the entertainment industry and the professional sports industry. Koules first pursued a career in hockey. Playing on several Western Hockey League teams, Koules would eventually become part-owner of an NHL team (the Tampa Bay Lightning), and the full owner of a minor league team (the Helena Bighorns). However, by the late 1990s, Koules had also added movie producer to his resume, as evidenced by credits on such films as the dainty romantic comedy "Mrs. Winterbourne" and the urban feminist action drama "Set It Off." Also during this time, Koules founded Peak Productions, and eventually became vice president of Paramount Pictures. Later, he co-founded Evolution Entertainment with Mark Burg, which then led to another partnership, Twisted Pictures, which would release the first "Saw" movie in 2004. After that surprise hit, the company released all of the subsequent "Saw" sequels, with Koules also playing small roles in both "Saw" and "Saw IV." Koules also served as executive producer on one of television's most popular sitcoms of the early 21st century, "Two and a Half Men," for which he earned multiple Emmy Award nominations.