The Finish Line announced that its co-founder David I. Klapper will retire from the board effective immediately. Norman H. Gurwitz will replace him as a director.
Klapper, 60, was one of the original
co-founders of The Finish Line in 1976, and has been a member of the
company's Board of Directors since 1982. Klapper served as senior executive vice president of the company from April 2000 and retired from that position on December 26, 2008. Prior to that, Klapper served as executive vice president from May 1982 to April 2000.
Gurwitz, 62, is an advisor to Emmis Communications Corporation, owner and operator of radio stations and magazines throughout the U.S. and Europe. He has been with Emmis since 1986, serving as Vice President, Corporate Counsel and Director of Human Resources. Prior to joining Emmis, Gurwitz was with the Internal Revenue Service in Washington, D.C. for four years and was in private corporate legal practice in Indianapolis for 10 years. Gurwitz will serve on the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee for a term that expires at Finish Line's 2010 annual meeting.
“I'm pleased to welcome Norm to our Board and look forward to benefitting from his decades of experience and fresh insights at this important time in the company's evolution,” said Board Chairman and company co-founder Alan Cohen. “In addition, on behalf of the Board and everyone at the company, I want to express sincere thanks and appreciation to David for his many contributions as a co-founder and executive of the company and as a Board member. David played an integral role over the years in our company's success and has all of our best wishes for the future.”
