CNBC interview cites The Atlas Society

In today's CNBC story Exercise Shrugged (With Apologies to Ayn Rand), reporter Mike Hegedus interviews TAS trustee John Aglialaro about his work as CEO of Cybex.

The site of the interview was Cybex's new "15 million dollar, 275,000 square foot, manufacturing facility" in Owatonna, Minnesota.

The interview praises Aglialaro for turning "debt-ridden, soon to go belly-up" Cybex into a "money maker." CNBC cites 2006 revenue at $126 million and Cybex's listing by Business Week as one of the "Hot Growth Companies."

The interview also mentions that Aglialaro is a trustee of The Atlas Society, "an organization devoted to [Ayn] Rand's ideals.

Here is the excerpt:

Now for story line number three. Does the name Ayn Rand mean anything to you? She wrote "Atlas Shrugged." For a small but growing number of people, this book that argues in favor of individual freedom and self-reliance is a template for how to live their lives. Aglialoro is a trustee of The Atlas Society, an organization devoted to Rand's ideals.

"So tell me about the movie." I say. He looks surprised, pauses, and says, "Now? Here?"

"Sure," I say, "Why not?"

You see, Aglialoro owns the film rights to the book and has been trying to get it made for a while now. "Well," he says, after pausing a bit. "I really think we're going to get it made. I feel good about it."

As he should. John Aglialoro seems to be the kind of guy who gets what he wants, by working hard and being self-reliant. Next time we see each other, he can run on the treadmill, and I'll do the interview standing still.

Aglialaro is serving as an executive producer for the upcoming Lionsgate film version of Atlas Shrugged. TAS founder and senior fellow David Kelley, also a contributing editor for The New Individualist, is serving as a consulting producer. Producers Howard and Karen Baldwin are the unstoppable engine behind the project. Actress Angelina Jolie has been signed to play the lead role of Dagny Taggart, and Randall Wallace (Braveheart, We Were Soldiers) wrote the script. Vadim Perelman (House of Sand and Fog) is the director.

At the recent 50th anniversary celebration of the publishing of Atlas Shrugged, sponsored by TAS and held in Washington, D.C., John Aglialaro conveyed a message from Ms. Jolie to the attendees. Jolie apparently views the determined and indomitable Taggart as "the most relatable" character she has ever played. Perelman, Howard and Karen Baldwin, and Michael Burns, a longtime admirer of Rand and the vice chairman of Lionsgate studio, all attended The Atlas Society event and spoke to the packed crowd about the project.

For more information about this fascinating project, and the involvement of TAS staff with it, please see Angelina Jolie set to star in Atlas Shrugged.