“Serving to Lead” Author and Award Winning Entertainment Executive Keith L. Craig is Taking Hollywood by Storm

After serving 32 years in the US Army, retiring as a Sergeant Major and playing professional football, Keith L Craig is adding to an already impressive body of work by releasing his book entitled “Serving to Lead” in the Spring of 2020. This is a special book because it is Co-Authored by his daughter Nikissia Craig. As success runs the family, she is also accomplished. She has a graduate degree in Clinical Social Work and is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional along with being an Adoption Competent Therapist.

With the father-daughter collaboration on this book, it is sure to be influential because in Craig’s on words, “Serving to Lead is about realizing aspirations. It’s also about accomplishing your dreams and becoming the best leader you can be.” This new book also falls right in line with everything else that Craig has humbly accomplished in Hollywood. Once he got to the Entertainment Capital of the world, Craig’s goal has been to utilize his leadership talents to make the difference. He is currently a Distribution Executive, Restaurant Owner and President and CEO of various companies. These companies include, but are not limited to The Formation Entertainment Group, Salute, Clever Talks and Zingo TV Media Group.

The Hollywood Executive
As a Hollywood Executive, Craig manages Central Division Theatrical Sales and Distribution in 20 theatrical demographic market areas. His responsibilities include ensuring the prompt and timely delivery of works to exhibitors and the accurate execution of administrative and logistical oversight. Some of the major releases he has worked on include Marvel Studio’s The Black Panther, Frozen 2, Maleficent, Ford v Ferrara and The Lion King, as well as Lucas film’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2. Craig is also the president of a diversity resource group called Salute. It’s mission is to support military veterans employed by the studio by helping them integrate, strengthen and grow their careers and provide a sense of community within the organization.

The works of Craig have gained him recognition from different organizations, but one in partic- ular recently awarded him the Trailblazer of Diversity Award during the 2019 Hollywood African Prestigious Awards. The show was hosted by Vivica Fox and Michael Blackson with the award presented by Actor and Model Newton Mayenge. In recognition of his massive contributions to the film industry, moving forward the award will be named after Sgt. Major and called the “Craig Trailblazer of Diversity Award” for future recipients.

Craig’s Management Group called The Formation Entertainment Group is also thriving. He has some very talented clients on his roster. These clients Artist C’Marie whose album Sparetime has streamed 1.7M views on Spotify for 2019. He also has Actor/Model Newton Mayenge that was mentioned above who has been seen in Straight Outta Compton and is set to be the lead for “The Agency” (2021).

Then there is phenomenal Formation Actress/Producer Malika Blessing who has not only produced Michael Coylar’s Houseparty, but has also been seen on The Have and Have Nots. The Formation also just recently added to the roster Iconic Comedian/Actor Michael Coylar from Houseparty 3. Coylar has been touring the country with his one man show and so the new addition to the group is sure to turn heads.

Furthermore, The Formation has already made a big move thus far in 2020 by adding to their roster the extremely talented Actress/Director Whitney Bowers and sensational Actor/Director Paul DiVito.

Early Life and Military Career
Craig was born in Mobile Alabama and graduated from Choctaw County High School, in Butler, Alabama in 19871. After some difficult life circumstances, Keith decided that the best decision for him and his family was for him to enlist in the US Army. What initially was going to be a short stint in the military turned into a successful 32 year career. He was involved in every campaign, conflict, and humanitarian mission for the past three decades.

Craig is a combat veteran of Operation Joint Endeavor, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Unified Response, and Operation Enduring Freedom. He retired after serving his twilight tour as the 12th Senior Enlisted Advisor to the commander and the exchange CEO, of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service for Europe and Southwest Asia Region.

The exchange at the time was the 47th largest retail organization in the U.S. with annual revenue of $10B, employing more than 43,000 civilians on military installations throughout the 50 states, five U.S. territories, and more than 30 countries. In Europe, the Middle East, Central and Southwest Asia, the exchange employed an additional 6,500 civilians spread out over 1,100 facilities in 21 countries.

Craig served as the liaison between the exchange leadership and 500,000 soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines, DOD civilians, and authorized patrons. Craig was the ambassador of the exchange in Europe & Southwest Asia Region, providing essential support to war fighters, en- hancing expeditionary capabilities, and interacting with highest strategic levels within the Department of Defense and the U.S. State Department
In Operation Enduring Freedom, Craig served as Support Operation Sergeant Major for Sustainment Brigade providing direct supply support and Services to American and coalition forces operating in the Afghanistan theater.

During his assignment to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, 7th Special Troop Battalion, he deployed to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Operation Unified Response, in support of multinational humanitarian assistance. Craig coordinated disaster relief efforts with the (United States Agency for International Development) and the World Food Programme to deliver 13,703 tons of rice and provided 17 million prepared meals, to 2.98 million Haitians at the request of the World Food Program. He was recognized for his improving project planning and performance through the coordinated deployment of automated systems and innovative management methodologies.

Craig was chiefly a key liaison between command leadership and on-the-ground operations personnel, and provided direct support and advising to the commander of more than 3,000 active duty personnel unit. Tasked with ensuring mission sustainment, clean and clear interfacing between primary and support units, overseeing the planning and execution of distribution, support and service operations to field operations.
While assigned to United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, Texas, Craig served as education advisor, small group leader, and operations sergeant major. He was responsible for the planning and execution of administrative and logistical support for 1,700 students, including daily senior advisor training, tasking and scheduling of workforce of 130 individuals, and the assessment and appropriate assignment of personnel based on dynamic individual performance evaluation.

In support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Craig served as first sergeant in the 302nd Military Intelligence BN, at Camp Anaconda, Iraq and at Camp Doha, Kuwait.

While assigned to Wiesbaden Army Airfield, Camp Pieria, Germany, Craig served as section chief assigned to 3/32nd FA Battalion, served as supply sergeant, which saw him managing administration, security, intelligence, training, tactical operations and logistics as well as $2 billion in organizational equipment, and developed an array of processes and procedures to support implementation of the commander’s directives on mission and soldier support.
Other leadership positions held include platoon sergeant, G3 Operations non-commissioned officer for the 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) , and Special Troops Battalion S-4, non-commissioned officer in charge.

Deployed as part of a multinational peacekeeping implementation force Kaposvar, Hungary, Operation Joint Endeavor, Craig was assigned to the 3rd Logistic Support Command, Unit Supply NCOIC Brigade S-4 NCOIC, 205th Military Intelligence Brigade (United States) Brigade. In total Sgt. Major Craig would ultimately earn 51 awards and decorations throughout his military career.

Football Career
Craig while in the military also got the opportunity to showcase his athletic talents by playing football. He started off by playing for the Wiesbaden Flyers and competing in the USAFE’s Continental Sports Conference from 1989-1990 and in 1993. In 1990, while playing for the Wiesbaden flyers he was described as the “premier receiver in the league” by Stars and Stripes (newspaper).

Then In 1993, he played for the Rheinmain Rockets and was named an All-conference wide receiver for the Continental Sports Conference and voted most valuable player of the championship game. He also set conference receiving records with 63 catches for 1,160 yards and 9 touchdowns.

In May 1991, Craig was scouted by John Ralston,who was head coach of the Denver Broncos from 1972 to 1976. From 1991-92, Craig played professional football for the Frankfurt Galaxy (NFL Europe) under head coach Jack Elway and general manager Oliver Luck, former Athletic Director of West Virginia University and father of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and retired NFL quarterback of the Houston Oilers (1982–1986).

The Future
In addition to managing several Artists, Actors and Models, Craig has demonstrated his prow- ess as an entrepreneur, being a partner with Zingo TV Media Group, which is a TV streaming entity. Craig is also an Author and will be releasing a new book on leadership in the Spring of 2020 entitled “Serving To Lead.” His goals are very focused on being an inspiration through leadership and helping out veterans, first responders and the less fortunate. Craig’s net worth is estimated at $5 to $10 million.

For more information about Keith L. Craig and his projects, please visit his page on IMDB and his Instagram @OfficialKeithLCraig. Please also visit Nikissia Craig on her Instagram @WholeJourneyCounseling.