MGM Distribution has appointed industry veteran Chris Aronson as executive vice president and general sales manager, it was announced today (Jan 23) by Erik Lomis, president of MGM Distribution. Aronson will be responsible for the sales and distribution of both MGM Pictures and United Artists theatrical releases within the US and Canada and will oversee all strategy development and implementation across the company's four division branches in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and Montreal. He will report directly to Lomis.

"We are delighted to have Chris join the MGM Distribution team," Lomis said in a statement. "He brings an impressive breadth of knowledge and experience to MGM, having succeeded as both a film distributor and a buyer. His exceptional talent, insight and solid ties to the exhibition community will help further drive our success and garner maximum exposure for MGM's and United Artists' promising slate of theatrical releases nationwide."

Aronson arrives at MGM from box-office analysts Rentrak, where he served two years as senior vice president of the theatrical division. Prior to Rentrak he was president of BoxOffice Direct, a Tribune Media services company. Before that were senior postings at Destination Films, Signature Theatres, Columbia Pictures, Vestron Pictures, New World Pictures and Universal Pictures.

Upcoming MGM and UA releases include the police thriller Dark Blue, starring Kurt Russell and Ving Rhames; the action adventure Agent Cody Banks, featuring Frankie Muniz and Hilary Duff; the action film Bulletproof Monk, starring Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott and Jaime King; Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde with Reese Witherspoon; and Matt Dillon's directorial debut, the Cambodia-based drama City of Ghosts.