Former BET Exec Paxton Baker Tapped as Liquid Soul Managing Partner

Former Centric general manager Paxton Baker has been named managing partner of marketing and promotion company Liquid Soul, the company said Thursday (March 15).

Baker will launch the Washington, D.C., office of the agency behind the marketing and promotion of such blockbuster films as Black Panther and Wrinkle in Time as the 17-year old company looks to expand further into the political, sports and entertainment arenas, said company officials.

Most recently Baker served as executive vice president and general manager of the BET/Viacom-owned Centric network, which was renamed BET Her last year. Baker also serves as chair of the Founding Partners Group and is a minority owner of the Washington Nationals Major League Baseball team.

Paxton’s diverse experience and successful track record makes him a natural addition to our leadership team as we expand into new markets,” saidTirrell D. Whitley, CEO and founder of Liquid Soul, in a statement. “His deep understanding of the creative community, plus the breadth of his relationships in politics and sports, add an exciting new dimension to our firm.”

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.