Eddie Bauer Holdings has named three new executives to important operational positions in its senior management team with the addition of Marv Toland as SVP, CFO; Freya R. Brier as SVP, general counsel and secretary; and Ronn Hall as SVP, sourcing and supply chain. Together with the Company's new president and CEO, Neil S. Fiske, this team will be instrumental in the Company's turnaround plan.
Mr. Toland is a veteran financial officer with a strong operating orientation and experience in the apparel industry. He brings over 20 years of financial leadership experience, joining Eddie Bauer from London Fog Group, where he most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer with responsibility for the finance, accounting, systems, legal and customer service functions. Prior to joining London Fog in 1999, Mr. Toland was Chief Financial Officer of Brooks Sports, Inc. and previously held a variety of finance-related positions with Exxon Corporation. Over the course of his career, he has demonstrated an outstanding ability to successfully manage complex financial situations and lower costs. Given his background, Mr. Toland will play a key role in both financial and operational strategies at Eddie Bauer including various cost reduction initiatives in 2008.
Ms. Brier is a seasoned general counsel with 24 years of experience including deep public company experience, eleven years in the retailing industry, and broad operating expertise. She most recently served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Wild Oats Markets, Inc., where she oversaw all legal, real estate and construction, food safety and regulatory, and ethics matters. Prior to joining Wild Oats in 1996, Ms. Brier served as Corporate Counsel at Synergen, Inc., a biotechnology company, and as a Partner with the Colorado law firm of Holme, Roberts & Owen. While at Wild Oats, Ms. Brier played a significant role in the company's growth and turnaround, in addition to overseeing all legal, public reporting, and governance requirements.
Mr. Hall is a proven retail industry executive with 22 years of experience in sourcing, design, product development, manufacturing, technical design and quality assurance. He joins Eddie Bauer from Coldwater Creek, where he has served as Vice President of Sourcing and Production since 2004. At Coldwater Creek, Mr. Hall built the company's sourcing organization from the ground up and was successful in dramatically lowering the company's production costs and growing gross margin, while improving on-time delivery, product quality and fit. Prior to Coldwater Creek, Mr. Hall was Vice President, Production and Sourcing for Limited Brands Inc. and held positions with Pacific Alliance, J. Crew, Inc., and Kellwood Company.
Mr. Fiske commented, “We could not be more pleased that Marv, Freya and Ronn are joining Eddie Bauer. Each of them is highly accomplished with exceptional skills and experience that will have an immediate benefit for Eddie Bauer. Importantly, they are all high-energy, high-impact executives who know how to make a difference. As a team, they bring complementary backgrounds and areas of expertise that will be critical in driving forward the initiatives that underpin our operational and financial agendas.
“I would like to thank David Taylor, our Interim CFO, for his tremendous contributions during a challenging period for the Company. David will continue working with us through a transition period,” Mr. Fiske concluded.
