Brad Grey, the University at Buffalo graduate-turned-Hollywood mogul, died May 14 after a battle with cancer. He was 59.

Grey was most recently chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures. He left that position in February after 12 years.

Deal-making has been Grey’s forte ever since the late 1970s, when he was a University at Buffalo student working for then-concert promoter and now-show-biz mogul Harvey Weinstein. Grey ran or helped run shows in Buffalo, traveled to his native New York City on the weekends to scout talent in comedy clubs, and eventually partnered with Weinstein to form a talent management agency.

Years later, after developing a healthy business representing comedians, Grey partnered with the storied talent manager Bernie Brillstein to form the agency Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, and then with Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston to form the production company Plan B.