American Hard Core – Jesse Itzler

A celebration of the rogues, rakes, and renegades who keep America beautiful!

100-Mile Man
39; Businessman; Philanthropist; Lapsed Rapper; Songwriter; Thrill-Seeker

Core Values
unstoppable drive, restless spirit, endless endurance, brilliant marketing know-how

Highlight Reel
In November 2006, Itzler competed in the National 24-Hour Run Championship in Grapevine, Texas, running 100 miles and raising $1,021,250 for ten char ities and matching the first $500,000 with his own money. Itzler endured hallucinations and a near physical breakdown around the 97-mile mark: “The
course had a small hill. Maybe ten feet. But at that point, it looked like Everest.� Afterward, he spent two days in a wheelchair and couldn’t run for two months because his hips had taken such a pounding. Before he cofounded a private-jet leasing company catering to athletes, actors, and other affluent clients, Itzler
released a couple of hip-hop albums under the name Jesse Jaymes. One of his songs, “Shake It (Like a White Girl),� cracked the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991. He also wrote and produced the New York Knicks
rally song “Go New York Go!� and won a Sports Emmy for his role in creating the NBA’s “I Love This Game� campaign.

Confirm or Deny
“I’m very hard core. I would never tap out in a UFC fight. They’d break my arm.�

Parting Shot
“Live much?�

—John Bolster