.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Paul Block joined Merisant as chief operating officer in September 2004 and in November of that year Mr. Block became chief executive officer. Mr. Block was elected chairman of the Board of Directors in February 2006. Prior to joining Merisant, Mr. Block had previously served as president and chief executive officer of Sara Lee’s Coffee and Tea Consumer brand. There, he led an impressive turnaround in operating performance. Mr. Block also served as chief marketing officer and, subsequently, executive vice president, general manager of Allied Domecq Spirits USA, where he was instrumental in the repositioning and double-digit growth of its Courvoisier brand. Additionally, while at Danone International Brands, Mr. Block launched Dannon bottled water in the United States, achieving number one market share after only eight months. He has also held various brand management, field marketing and sales positions at Guinness Import and Miller Brewing companies.
Eugene I. Davis Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PIRINATE Consulting Group, LLC, a privately-held consulting firm specializing in turn-around management, merger and acquisition consulting, hostile and friendly takeovers, proxy contests and strategic planning advisory services for domestic and international public and private business entities. Since forming PIRINATE in 1997, Mr. Davis has advised, managed, sole, liquidated and/or acted as a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Restructuring Officer, Director, Committee Chairman and/or Chairman of the Board of a number of businesses, including companies operating in the telecommunications, automotive, manufacturing, high-technology, medical technologies, metals, energy, financial services, consumer products and services, import-export, mining and transportation and logistics sectors. Prior to forming PIRINATE, Mr. Davis served as President, Vice-Chairman and Director of Emerson Radio Corp, and CEO and Vice-Chairman of Sport Supply Group, Inc. Mr. Davis began his career as an attorney and international negotiator with Exxon Corp. and Standard Oil Company (Indiana) and as a partner in two Texas-based law firms where he specialized in corporate/securities law, international transactions and restructuring advisory. Mr. Davis holds a BA from Columbia College, a Masters of International Affairs (MIA) in International Law and Organization from the School of International Affairs of Columbia University and a JD from the Columbia University School of Law.
Joesph M. Deignan is a Partner at Wayzata, and performs company analysis on high yield and distressed investments and shares portfolio management responsibilities. Prior to joining Wayzata in 1997, he was a member of the Wessles, Arnold & Henderson investment banking team in Minneapolis. Mr. Deignan graduated Egregia Cum Laude with a BA in Economics from St. John’s University and holds an MBA from the Carlson School at the University of Minnesota. Mr. Deignan is a director of Atlantic Express Transportation, MCBC Holdings, Inc., and Propex Holding, LLC.
Ryan Langdon is a co-founder and Senior Managing Director of Newport Global Advisors. Prior to the formation of Newport Global Advisors in 2005, Mr. Langdon was a Managing Director responsible for AIG’s distressed portfolio. Mr. Langdon joined AIG’s High Yield Group in 2002 as a senior investment analyst. Prior to joining AIG, Mr. Langdon worked at ABN AMRO as a senior high yield telecommunications and cable analyst. Mr. Langdon started his career as a Vice President and high yield investment analyst at Pacholder Associates. He received a BS in business Economics from Miami University in 1994 and a MA in Economics from Miami University in 1995. Mr. Langdon currently serves on the board of director of iPCS, Inc., Amtrol, Inc., American Blue Ribbon Holdings, LLC, Autocam Corporation, and Autocam Medical Holdings, LLC.
William P. Murnane Operating Partner, joined Wayzata in 2008. Prior to joining Wayzata, Mr. Murnane was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Innovex, Inc., an international manufacturer of components used in high technology electronics. Before joining Innovex in 1995, Mr. Murnane was Chief Operating Officer at Boutwell Owens & Co. and Uniform Printing and Supply, two privately held printing companies based in Massachusetts. Previously, Mr. Murnane held various engineering and management positions at United Parcel Service. Mr. Murnane received a BS in Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, an MS in operations research from the University of Maryland, and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Mr. Murnane is a Director of Portola Packaging, Inc., Cascade Pacific Pulp, Caraustar Industries, Inc. and Atlantic Express Transportation Corp.
Tom Paulson has served as Vice President and CFO of Tennant Company, a leading global manufacturer of indoor and outdoor environmental cleaning solutions and floor coatings, since March of 2006. Prior to joining Tennant, Mr. Paulson was a Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Innovex Inc., which manufactures high-density, flexible circuits for electronics products. Mr. Paulson began his career at Pillsbury in 1981 as an accounting and financial analyst. Mr. Paulson left Pillsbury in 2000 after rising to Vice President, Finance of Pillsbury North America. Mr. Paulson serves on the Board of Directors of Seneca Foods and the Tennant Company Foundation. Mr. Paulson earned a BA in Finance from the University of St. Thomas and an MBA also from the University of St. Thomas.
Robert F. Waldron was appointed as Chief Marketing Officer of The Sun Products Corporation, a leading provider in North America of laundry detergent, fabric softeners and other household products, in November 2009. Prior to joining Sun Products, Mr. Waldron was a Senior Vice President at General Mills Inc. and President of the Yoplait Operating Division. As President of Yoplait, Mr. Waldron oversaw a doubling of the business to $1.7 billion in net sales and was charged with maintaining Yoplait’s critical operating cash flow growth, organization development, and international franchise relationships. Prior to joining the Yoplait Operating Division in 2002, Mr. Waldron was the Vice President of Shelf Stable Meals and Strategic Growth Channels from 2001 to 2002 and oversaw a diverse portfolio of brands including Hamburger Helper, Betty Crocker Potatoes, and BacOs, with the additional responsibility to coordinate strategy for all division products in strategic growth channels. Mr. Waldron was also tasked with reversing the decline of General Mills’ Hamburger Helper brand as Marketing Director of Hamburger Helper and Betty Crocker Sides. In that position, Mr. Waldron successfully reversed an eight quarter decline. Mr. Waldron was Co-Chair of the National Yogurt Association, a Board Member of the Milk Foundation, and Board President of Athletes Committed to Educating Students. Mr. Waldron holds a BS in Industrial Management and Mathematics from Carnegie-Mellon University and a MBA from the Chicago Booth School of Business.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee recommends the firm to be appointed as independent registered public accounting firm to audit financial statements and to perform services related to the audit, reviews the scope and results of the audit with the independent registered public accounting firm, reviews with management and the independent registered public accounting firm the year-end operating results, considers the adequacy of the internal accounting procedures and approves all audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm. The audit committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors.
The Audit Committee recommends the firm to be appointed as independent registered public accounting firm to audit financial statements and to perform services related to the audit, reviews the scope and results of the audit with the independent registered public accounting firm, reviews with management and the independent registered public accounting firm the year-end operating results, considers the adequacy of the internal accounting procedures and approves all audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm. The audit committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors.
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee reviews and recommends the compensation arrangements for all executive officers and directors and administers and takes such other action as may be required in connection with certain compensation and incentive plans. The compensation committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors.
The Compensation Committee reviews and recommends the compensation arrangements for all executive officers and directors and administers and takes such other action as may be required in connection with certain compensation and incentive plans. The compensation committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors.