LOS ANGELES — Industry veteran Jay Engle passed away last Thursday night after suffering a heart attack at the age of 57, Premiere Sales Group President Drew Kennedy confirmed to XBIZ. Engle is survived by his wife, Janice.
Described by Exile Distribution President Howard Levine as a “behind-the-scenes guy,” Engle worked in sales at Premiere for 10 years and previously owned Whippet Distribution.
“Jay was a wonderful, sweet man. A very nice guy,” said Kennedy, who knew Engle for about 10 years. “He was very passionate about his work. He’s been doing this for a lot of years, and it’s very upsetting to see him go.”
Levine echoed Kennedy’s kind sentiments. “He was a really nice guy,” he said of Engle. “He’s been in the business for quite a long time, and he sold a lot of porno throughout the years.”
According to Kennedy, Engle’s untimely death came as a complete surprise.
“He was at work the day it happened. We were talking right before he left,” Kennedy explained. “He had a heart attack and laid on the bed right next to his wife.”
Kennedy and the Premiere team are currently gathering short stories about Engle from his long-time friends. Once compiled, he plans to share the stories publicly in memory of his friend and colleague.
A Jay Engle Memorial Fund has been launched on GoFundMe.com to help his widow with expenses.
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