Alan Schwartz
Alan Schwartz, 68, is a renowned expert in the field of corporate governance. He is a Sterling Professor at Yale University, one of 27 such professors in the University, where he has been since 1987. His appointments are in the Yale Law School and the Yale School of Management, where he specializes in corporate finance and corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, contracts and contract theory, bankruptcy and commercial transactions. He has published numerous articles and books in these fields and has been identified, by the Institute for Scientific Information, as being in the top one half of one percent of social scientists world wide in total citations. Professor Schwartz has served as a Director of Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc., an international mining company that is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, since 1991. He now chairs the Cleveland-Cliffs finance committee and serves on its Governance and Strategic Advisory Committees. Professor Schwartz has been President of the American Law and Economics Association, Editor of the Journal of Law, Economics and Organization and Chair of the Sections on Law and Economics and the Section on Contracts of the Association of American Law Schools.
Ira Kaplan
Ira Kaplan, 49, served as Chief Financial Officer of Claire’s Stores Inc. from 1990 to 2008 (retiring April 4, 2008) and served as a member of the Board of Directors of Claire’s Stores until it was acquired in May 2007. He joined Claire’s Stores in 1987 and served in various financial capacities until 1990. He was a key member of Claire’s Stores’ Strategic Planning Committee responsible for the formulation of short and long-term strategies to drive its internal growth and its domestic and international expansion. Mr. Kaplan was responsible for formulating and implementing financial practices designed to ensure the continued financial strength of Claire’s Stores, which grew sales at a five-year annual rate of 10% to $1.5 billion and achieved a latest twelve months ended EBITDA margin of 20% through November 3, 2007. Claire’s Stores was acquired by private equity firm Apollo Management L.P. for $3.1 billion on May 29, 2007. From 1982 to 1987, Mr. Kaplan practiced at Peat Marwick (now KPMG) where his clients engaged in a variety of industries, including real estate, retailing, manufacturing, leisure activities and publishing.
T. Scott King
T. Scott King, 56, is a Managing Director of Sun Capital Partners, Inc. and has 25 years of operating experience as an executive in the consumer and industrial sectors. As a senior operator with the firm since 2003, Mr. King has led the development and execution of operational strategies pursuant to the turnaround of numerous companies acquired by Sun Capital affiliates, largely in the consumer sector. He serves on the Board of Directors of the following Sun Capital portfolio companies: ShopKo Stores, Inc.; The Limited; Pamida; Marsh Supermarkets; Village Pantry Stores; Anchor Blue Retail Group; Drug Fair Group; and Performance Fibers, Inc. Prior to joining Sun Capital Partners, he was Chief Executive Officer of Waterlink, Inc., which is an international provider of integrated water purification and wastewater treatment solutions. Mr. King served as President of the $1.0 billion Consumer Brands Division of the Sherwin Williams Company from 1992 to 1998.