"The business background descriptions of the newly appointed directors and officers and the individuals who have agreed to serve as directors commencing upon the Appointment Date are as follows:"
Robert W. D’Loren is our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. He served as Chairman and CEO of IPX Capital, LLC and related subsidiaries, a consumer products advisory firm from 2009 to 2011. Mr. D’Loren previously served as a Director and President and Chief Executive Officer of Nexcen Brands, Inc., a global brand acquisition and management company from June 2006 until August 2008. Prior to NexCen Brands, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of UCC Capital Corporation (“UCC”) from 2004 to 2006. Prior to forming UCC, Mr. D’Loren served as President and Chief Operating Officer of CAK Universal Credit Corporation, an intellectual property finance company from 1998 to 2003. Mr. D’Loren’s career debt and equity investments in intellectual property centric and consumer branded products companies exceed $1.0 billion. From 1985 to 1997, Mr. D’Loren served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the D’Loren Organization, an investment and restructuring firm responsible for aggregate transactions in excess of $2 billion. Prior to that, Mr. D’Loren served as an asset manager for Fosterlane Management where he managed in excess of $1.0 billion in assets, and previously served as a manager with Deloitte. Mr. D’Loren is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Master’s degree from Columbia University and a B.S. from New York University.
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Mr. D’Loren has served on the board of directors of Iconix Brand Group, Longaberger Company, Business Loan Center, Achilles Track Club International and served as a board advisor to The Athletes Foot and Bill Blass, Ltd.
James F. Haran is our Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Haran served as CFO of IPX Capital, LLC and related subsidiaries, a consumer products advisory firm from 2009 to 2011. Mr. Haran was the Executive Vice President, Capital Markets for Nexcen Brands, Inc. from 2006 to 2008 and Chief Financial Officer and Chief Credit Officer for UCC Capital Corp. and its predecessor company, CAK Universal Credit Corp. from 1998 to 2006. Prior to joining UCC, Mr. Haran was a partner at Sidney Yoskowitz and Company P.C., a registered diversified certified public accounting firm. During his tenure, which began in 1987, his focus was on real estate and financial services companies. Mr. Haran served his clients on an array of strategic and operational levels. Mr. Haran is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from State University of New York at Plattsburgh.
Giuseppe “Joe” Falco is our President and Chief Operating Officer of the Isaac Mizrahi Brand. Mr. Falco is a merchant with almost two decades of experience in managing lifestyle brands and business development. Mr. Falco served as President of Misook, a division of HMX from 2009 to 2010, as Worldwide President and Chief Merchant for Elie Tahari from 2007 to 2009 and as President of Sixty USA from 2005 to 2006. Prior to that position, Mr. Falco was Senior Vice President for Dolce & Gabbana from 1998 to 2004, where he was responsible for North American development and operations. Mr. Falco started his career with the luxury retailer Barneys New York where he became a student of product, merchandising, and brand communication.
Marisa Gardini is our Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning and Marketing and has agreed to serve as as director on the Appointment Date. Since 2002, Ms. Gardini has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Isaac Mizrahi New York. During this tenure, she has led all segments of the business including managing all media and public relations, licensing, design, and merchandising for Isaac Mizrahi, and has worked to help launch Isaac Mizrahi at Target, Liz Claiborne, and QVC. Ms. Gardini has a B.A. from Barnard College and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law, and currently serves on the board of trustees of Brearley School in New York City.
Seth Burroughs is our Executive Vice President of Business Development and Treasury. From 2006 to 2010, Mr. Burroughs served as Vice President of NexCen Brands, Inc., where he was responsible for M&A and Strategic initiatives for the Company. At NexCen, Mr. Burroughs oversaw over $300 million in acquisitions. Prior to his role at NexCen, from 2003 to 2006 Mr. Burroughs served as Director of M&A Advisory and Investor Relations at UCC Capital Corp., a financing company specializing in consumer branded products M&A and the securitization of intellectual property, where he worked on an additional $500 million in acquisitions and $300 million in specialty financing as an advisor to consumer branded products companies in the franchising and apparel industries. From 2001 to 2003, Mr. Burroughs worked as a Senior Financial Analyst at The Pullman Group where he was involved with structuring the first securitizations of music royalties including the Bowie Bonds, and as a Financial Analyst at Merrill Lynch's private client group. Mr. Burroughs is a graduate of The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and serves on the board of directors of the Young Learners of New York, a charity focused on providing equipment and funding to public middle schools of New York City.
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Jeffrey Cohen has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors commencing on the Appointment Date. Jeffrey Cohen has a unique and deep background in American retail. From 2000 to present, he has served as Co-Chairman of Earthbound, LLC. Mr. Cohen oversees all business and creative operations for the company. Earthbound is a full service brand design and licensing business. Since Mr. Cohen joined Earthbound, Earthbound managed brands have generated over $10 Billion in retail sales. From 1983 to 1999, Mr. Cohen served as Principal and EVP of Conway Stores, a major NY based deep discount retail business founded by his father in 1942. At Conway, Mr. Cohen was involved in all aspects of the business operation including significant involvement in merchandising and operations. Jeff served for 10 years on the Executive Board and as Chairman of the Board of Education at Hillel Yeshiva. Jeff is currently Chairman of the Board of the Allegra Franco Sephardic Women's Teachers College.
Mark DiSanto has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors commencing on the Appointment Date. From 1988 to the present, Mr. DiSanto has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Triple Crown Corporation a regional real estate development and investment company with commercial and residential development projects exceeding 7 million square feet. Mr. DiSanto received a degree in business administration from Villanova University’s College of Commerce and Finance, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo College of Law and an MS degree from Columbia University.
Todd Slater has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors commencing on the Appointment Date. Mr. Slater has a broad and distinguished background in the retail and branded consumer sectors, serving most recently as a Managing Director at Lazard Capital Markets. At Lazard and then Lazard Capital Markets, Mr. Slater led the retail and branded consumer research team from 1996-2011, where he won numerous industry awards, including the #1 “Best Analyst” ranking by Starmine and the Financial Times in Specialty Retail, and the #2 “Best On The Street” in the Clothing and Accessory sectors over a period of many years. Prior to joining Lazard, Mr. Slater was a Vice President and headed the retail and consumer research team at UBS Securities from 1992-1996, where he was ranked by Institutional Investor as #1 “Up and Comer” in the Textile and Apparel space. During this period, Mr. Slater was President of the Textile and Apparel Analyst Group in NY from 1999-2002. Before becoming a top retail and consumer industry analyst, Mr. Slater began his career at Macy’s New York, where he started in the Executive Training Program, rising to senior executive positions in merchandising, buying, and store management from 1984-1992. Mr. Slater received a B.A. in French Literature from Tufts University, and also completed a year of studies at Science Po (Institute d'Etudes Politiques) in Paris, France.
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Edward Jones, III has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors commencing on the Appointment Date. In a career that has spanned over thirty-five years in the fashion industry, Mr. Jones has been recognized as a marketing and brand visionary. Mr. Jones began his career in retail in Dallas, Texas with Hartmarx. Mr. Jones then moved on to Neiman Marcus where he spent five years in various men’s merchandising and buying positions. In his career Edward Jones has held positions in major companies that include CEO (Perry Ellis Men’s, Women’s & International; Segrets Inc., GM Design Inc.), President (Calvin Klein, Esprit, Haggar Women’s), Director International Licensing (Perry Ellis, Calvin Klein), Creative Director (Haggar Women’s), Chief Merchandising Officer (Haggar Men’s & Women’s). For the past four years, he has been active as an advisor in the fashion apparel, accessory and footwear markets in numerous brand and company strategies and M&A assignments. During this period he has participated in the review and analysis of over sixty companies or brands. He has advised on brand and business model strategy in over half of these companies.
Howard Liebman has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors commencing on the Appointment Date. From 2008 to the present, Mr. Liebman has served as a Director and member of the Executive Committee of Federation Employment and Guidance Services (FEGS) and as the chairman of its audit committee. FEGS is a large not-for-profit health and human services organization providing a vast array of services to individuals and families throughout the greater New York area. Mr. Liebman was a director of Sharper Image Corporation and served as chairman of its audit committee from 2006 to 2008. In February 2008, Sharper Image filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.
Howard Liebman was President, Chief Operating Officer and a director of Hobart West Group, a provider of national court reporting and litigation support services from 2007 until the sale of the business in 2008. Mr. Liebman served as a consultant to Hobart from 2006 to 2007. Mr. Liebman was President, Chief Financial Officer and director of Shorewood Packaging Corporation, a New York Stock Exchange multinational manufacturer of high-end value-added paper and paperboard packaging for the entertainment, tobacco, cosmetics and other consumer products markets. Mr. Liebman joined Shorewood in 1994 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and served as its President from 1999 until Shorewood was acquired by International Paper in 2000. Mr. Liebman continued as Executive Vice President of Shorewood until his retirement in 2005. Mr. Liebman is a Certified Public Accountant and was an audit partner with Deloitte and Touche LLP (and its predecessors) from 1974 to 1994.
Key Employees
Isaac Mizrahi is Chief Designer for the Isaac Mizrahi Brand. Mr. Mizrahi founded the Isaac Mizrahi New York brand in 1987 and has been the President and Chief Designer of IM Ready. As Chief Designer, Mr. Mizrahi is responsible for design and design direction for all brands under Isaac Mizrahi including the Isaac Mizrahi New York brand which is still sold in Bergdorf Goodman and other luxury retailers. In December 2009, Mr. Mizrahi launched his lifestyle collection, Isaac Mizrahi Live! on QVC for IM Ready. Under IM Ready’s design agreement with Liz Claiborne, Mr. Mizrahi also serves as the creative director for the Liz Claiborne New York line at QVC. Previously, Mr. Mizrahi teamed with Target in 2003 to launch an innovative collection of chic and stylish clothing and accessories for women. Mr. Mizrahi has received four awards from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), including two awards for Designer of the Year and an award in 1996 for the documentary “Unzipped”. Mr. Mizrahi’s media presence includes publishing the book “How to Have Style” in 2008, and appearances and roles in films and television shows, including “Sex in the City,” “Ugly Betty” and “Celebrity Jeopardy” and has hosted his own series, Bravo’s “The Fashion Show,” as well as series on the Oxygen Network and the Style Network. Mr. Mizrahi has also designed costumes and/or directed productions for the Metropolitan Opera, the Mark Morris Dance Company, the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and the Brooklyn Youth Choir, and has served on the board of directors of and is actively involved with the Good Shepherd Services which provides services to underserviced children.
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Lori Shea is our Senior Vice President of Licensing Operations. Ms. Shea served as the SVP of Marketing and Strategic Planning of IPX Capital, LLC and its related subsidiaries, a consumer products advisory firm from 2009 to 2011 where she was responsible for coordinating all facility and operations logistics and overseeing the strategic objectives within the organization. From 2006 to 2010 Ms. Shea served as Executive Vice President of Marketing for NexCen Brands, where she coordinated corporate communications, investor relations, business development as well as serving as the licensing and integration liaison for nine lifestyle brands across 1,900 franchise stores in over 45 countries. Ms. Shea's strategic expertise spans the past 25 years, with substantial experience in the consumer branded product industries and product development. Prior to her role at NexCen, from 2004 to 2006 Ms. Shea served as the Director of Marketing at UCC Capital Corporation. Prior to UCC, Ms. Shea served as the Director of Marketing for CAK Universal Credit Corporation from 1998 to 2003. From 1988 to 1997, Ms. Shea served as the Director of Marketing for D'Loren Organization in various operations and marketing functions.
Employment Agreements with Executives and Key Employees
Robert D’Loren. On September 22, 2011, and effective as of September 16, 2011, the Company entered into a three-year employment agreement with Robert D’Loren for him to serve as our Chief Executive Officer. Additionally, we shall use our reasonable best efforts to cause Mr. D’Loren to be nominated to our Board of Directors and to serve as our Chairman of the Board during the term of the agreement. Following the initial three-year term, the agreement will be automatically renewed for one year terms thereafter unless either party gives written notice of intent to terminate at least 90 days prior to such termination. Mr. D’Loren’s salary for the first year, starting on the Closing Date, is $240,000, for the second year, it is $530,000 and for third year it is $580,000. The board or the compensation committee may approve increases (but not decreases) from time to time. Following the initial three-year term, the base salary shall be reviewed at least annually. We will also reimburse Mr. D’Loren for up to $50,000 of undocumented expenses each calendar year. In addition, Mr. D’Loren will receive an allowance for an automobile appropriate for his level of position, and the Company shall pay (in addition to monthly lease or other payments) all of the related expenses for gasoline, insurance, maintenance, repairs or any other costs up to $2,000 per month associated with Mr. D’Loren’s automobile. Mr. D’Loren is subject to non-competition and non-solicitation provisions.
Bonus. Mr. D’ Loren is eligible for an annual cash bonus of up to $450,000 per year based on annual EBITDA targets. The cash bonus is a portion of five percent of the licensing income in excess of $8,000,000 earned and received by us, in accordance with the following schedule:
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