John Cervenka
Quick Facts
Biography
John K Cervenka is an American businessman who is also known for his work in the entertainment field. A Financial Advisor with The Aegis Group, an Institutional Consulting team at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Cervenka and his colleagues provide Institutional Wealth Management services to a number of nationally known philanthropic institutions, foundations and endowments. The Aegis Group is an institutional consulting team in North America.
Career
Following college, Cervenka accepted a position with Coldwell Banker Commercial, one of the world’s largest commercial real estate firms. In his spare time, he was writing for, and performing with, The Groundlings comedy troupe in Hollywood, California. While performing with the likes of Will Ferrell, Lisa Kudrow, and other Groundlings alumni, Cervenka was approached by Eric Lieber, the executive producer and creator of the long-running dating show Love Connection, hosted by Chuck Woolery; it was Lieber who asked Cervenka to take over for the iconic Johnny Gilbert as the permanent announcer of Love Connection.
Cervenka took over for Gilbert as the announcer and stayed with the series for numerous seasons. Subsequently, executive producers Peter Kaikko and Paul Abeyta cast Cervenka to play the lead in a hybrid situation comedy / game show that they had created, Burt Luddin’s Love Buffet, for Game Show Network (GSN). (Cervenka acted out the character of "Burt Luddin," the host of the game show situated within the situation comedy.) Cervenka went on to co-create and executive-produce Random Acts of Comedy starring David Allen Grier, for FOX Family Channel. Cervenka later reunited with Kaikko and Abeyta as a Producer, Performer and Writer on the hit series, MXC, which went on to be one of Spike TV's biggest comedy hits and, indeed, has been unofficially credited as having inspired the ABC Network mega-hit Wipeout.
Philanthropy
Cervenka is the Co-founder of GivCause.tv, a global on-line network which broadcast "The GivLive Show", a web series that interviewed individuals involved with cause driven organizations. The other Co-founder, Derek Williams, is a television producer, director and writer. Cervenka & Williams were the hosts of The GivLive Show.
Early life
Cervenka is the youngest of six and grew up in San Marino, California. He attended San Marino High School and then the University of Southern California. Cervenka was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity at USC. His father, John William Cervenka, a graduate of the University of Chicago and Harvard Business School, was a real estate financier and extremely active with numerous faith based charities. His mother, Katherine G Cervenka, was a Registered Nurse.
Personal life
Cervenka is married to his wife Kerry Kostlan Cervenka. They have four children, John William Cervenka II (born November 24, 1987), Franklyn Kestutis Cervenka (born February 5, 1993), Georgia Jane Cervenka (born June 27, 2000) and Lilah Katherine Cervenka (born October 6, 2004). The family resides in Southern California.
Preceded by Johnny Gilbert on Love Connection | Voice, Love Connection 1989-95 | Succeeded by End of series |