K. Ivan F. Gothner
Director
AgFeed Industries, Inc.
Nanchang , Jiangxi
Sector: CONSUMER GOODS / Processed & Packaged Goods
52 Years Old
Mr. Gothner joined our board of directors in December 2009. Mr. Gothner has been managing director and founder of Adirondack Partners, LLC, a private merchant-banking firm that focuses on serving small and mid-size growth companies, since 1993. He has been active as a merchant banker focusing on small and mid-size growth companies for his entire career. His work has focused on companies experiencing rapid growth as a result of introducing new technologies and products or by entering new markets. Prior to founding Adirondack Partners, Mr. Gothner was senior vice president of Barclays Bank from 1990 to 1992, responsible for establishing an investment banking unit to serve small and mid-sized companies. Mr. Gothner joined Kleinwort Benson Limited in 1986 and from 1987 to 1990, he served as a senior vice president of the firm and general manager of the KB Mezzanine Fund, L.P., a specialized fund which invested in the equity and junior capital of small and mid-sized businesses. Currently, Mr. Gothner serves on the board of directors of ArtID, LLC, a private company providing online exhibition space to artists, Covenant Group of China Inc., a publicly traded company engaged in the business of acquiring equity interests in private companies based and operating in China, and Best Buddies of Massachusetts. Mr. Gothner received a bachelor of arts degree in political science and economics from Columbia College and a M.I.A. from Columbia University?s School of International Affairs in international economic policy and finance. Mr. Gothner was a director of Global Maltrechs, Inc., a public company, which markets software applications and web and application development services until 2008. With 28 years of investment banking experience, we believe that Mr. Gothner has developed the financial expertise we require of our audit committee chairman and insight regarding strategic planning, which will continue to be relevant to the board?s oversight of AgFeed?s successful integration of its acquired subsidiaries.
