GNC 2011 Annual Report Download - page 130

Table of Contents
indirect parent of Floor and Decor Outlets of America, Inc., and as a member of the Boards of Directors of Stream Global Services, Inc. and Orchard Supply
Hardware Corporation. Mr. Kaplan's previous public company Board of Directors experience includes Maidenform Brands, where he served as the company's
Chairman, Dominick's Supermarkets, Inc. and Allied Waste Industries Inc. Mr. Kaplan also serves on the Board of Governors of Cedars-Sinai Medical
Center, is a Trustee of the Center for Early Education, is a Trustee of Marlborough School and serves on the Los Angeles Advisory Council to the University
of Michigan. Mr. Kaplan graduated with High Distinction, Beta Gamma Sigma, from the University of Michigan, School of Business Administration with a
B.B.A. concentrating in Finance. Mr. Kaplan has over 20 years of experience managing investments in, and serving on the boards of directors of, companies
operating in various industries, including in the retail and consumer products industries, which led to the conclusion that he should serve as a director on our
board.
Brian Klos became one of our directors in June 2010. Mr. Klos is a Principal in the Private Equity Group of Ares Management. Mr. Klos joined Ares
Management in 2006 from J.P. Morgan, a global financial services firm, where he was a member of the General Industries West group participating in the
execution of mergers, acquisitions and debt financings spanning various industries. From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Klos was a member of the Mergers and
Acquisitions group at J.P. Morgan. Mr. Klos earned a BS, graduating magna cum laude, from Boston College, Carroll School of Management majoring in
Finance and Accounting. Mr. Klos's years of experience managing and evaluating investments in companies operating in various industries, including in the
retail and consumer products industries, and his in-depth understanding of our business, led to the conclusion that he should serve as a director on our board.
Romeo Leemrijse became one of our directors in May 2009. Mr. Leemrijse is currently a Director of TPC. Prior to joining TPC in 2006, Mr. Leemrijse
was a Principal at EdgeStone Capital Partners, a Canadian private equity firm. Mr. Leemrijse was involved in a number of private equity investments across a
variety of industries. Prior to joining EdgeStone Capital Partners in 2001, Mr. Leemrijse was a Senior Analyst with Dominion Bond Rating Service and spent
six years at CIBC World Markets in their investment banking division where he worked on a number of advisory and equity and debt financings.
Mr. Leemrijse currently sits on the board of directors of National Bedding (Serta) and Simmons Bedding Company. Mr. Leemrijse received a Bachelor of
Commerce degree from the Richard Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary and is a CFA charterholder. Mr. Leemrijse's extensive
experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and the retail and consumer products industries led to the conclusion that he should serve as a
director on our board.
Richard J. Wallace became one of our directors in July 2010. Mr. Wallace served as a Senior Vice President for Research and Development at
GlaxoSmithKline ("GSK"), a global pharmaceutical company, from 2004 to his retirement in 2008. Prior to that, he served in various executive capacities for
GSK and its predecessor companies and their subsidiaries from 1992 to 2004. Mr. Wallace's experience prior to joining GSK included eight years with
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and seven years at Johnson & Johnson (in assignments spanning marketing, sales, manufacturing and general management).
Mr. Wallace is also a director of Clinical Data, Inc. and ImmunoGen, Inc. Mr. Wallace's years of experience at several large pharmaceutical and consumer
products companies and his significant corporate governance experience through his service on the boards of other companies led to the conclusion that he
should serve as a director on our board.
In addition to the information presented above regarding each director's specific experiences, qualifications, attributes and skills, we believe that all of
our directors have a reputation for integrity and adherence to high ethical standards. Each of our directors has demonstrated business acumen
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