Joy Rosen Dies: Toronto’s Portfolio Entertainment Co-Founder & CEO Was 65

Joy Rosen, the co-founding partner and CEO of Toronto-based production, distribution and animation company Portfolio Entertainment, died June 8 following a year-long illness. She was 65.

Her death was announced by Portfolio’s co-CEO Lisa Olfman.

“Joy was my partner, my best friend, my sister-in-arms,” said Olfman in a statement. “Words can’t describe what a huge loss this is to her family, her friends, and to those in the business community who knew her.”

Rosen and Olfman co-founded Portfolio in 1991, launching the company from a spare bedroom “with a borrowed typewriter, a boatload of dreams and unwavering determination,” the company said in a statement. “Joy and Lisa transformed Portfolio Entertainment into a leading production, distribution and animation company of kids and family entertainment with an iconic roster that includes the PBS Kids Emmy Award-winning series The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That!, Hero Elementary, Doki and Groundling Marsh.

Since the company’s inception, Rosen led Portfolio’s global distribution division, developing enduring relationships with international broadcasters and content providers. She was instrumental in Portfolio’s multi-faceted expansion, and in 2015 the partners launched Portfolio Animation, a state of the art animation studio.

Rosen and Olfman were awarded the 2015 WIFT-T Crystal Award for Outstanding Achievement in Business, as well as the Rotman Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Profit Magazine named the duo among its Top 100 Female Business Owners, and Animation Magazine included them in its Top 25 Rising Women in the Business.

Rosen is survived by husband of 39 years Dr. Lawrence Freedman; children Erin, Michaela, and Evan Freedman; mother Delores Rosen and other extended family.

“We will miss her tremendous heart, her wicked sense of humour and her buoyant optimism,” said Olfman. “A piece of us died today, but we will forever honour her legacy.”