Jay Grdina
An entrepreneur who transitioned from adult film performance to building a major business empire in the same industry, reshaping its commercial landscape.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American pornographic actor·Birthday: October 11·Generation X
Biography
Jay Grdina's story is one of unconventional entrepreneurship. Initially entering the public eye under the stage name Justin Sterling in the 1990s, he performed in adult films while simultaneously laying the groundwork for a business career. His sharpest impact came not on screen but in the boardroom. He co-founded the adult website ClubJenna with his then-wife, performer Jenna Jameson, leveraging her fame to build a multimedia brand. He later served as the CEO of the publicly traded adult entertainment company, Penthouse Media Group, navigating the complex shift from print to digital. Grdina's path reflects a broader narrative in the industry, where business acumen and branding became as critical as production, and he operated at the intersection of both.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jay was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jay Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Jay's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded ClubJenna, Inc., a successful adult entertainment company built around the Jenna Jameson brand.
- Served as CEO of Penthouse Media Group, steering a historic adult brand through the digital era.
- Successfully transitioned from performer to executive, managing publicly traded companies in a challenging industry.
Did You Know?
He holds a degree in finance from Arizona State University.
Before his adult industry career, he worked as a stockbroker.
He is a licensed pilot.
His business ventures have included non-adult industries like real estate and nightclubs.
“I built a business by seeing what others in the industry were missing.”
