Oakley, Inc. announced the appointment of Frits van Paasschen to the company's Board of Directors. Mr. van Paasschen is president and chief executive officer of Coors Brewing Company, a subsidiary of Molson Coors Brewing Company.
“With an extensive history of proven financial, strategic and operational experience, Frits brings outstanding oversight and expertise to our strong board of directors,” said Oakley chairman Jim Jannard. “His experience with some of the world's most recognized consumer brands and leadership in key markets outside the U.S. will be valuable as we strive to grow our business. I look forward to Frits' many contributions and to the continued guidance and counsel of each board member.”
Prior to joining Coors Brewing Company, Mr. van Paasschen worked for Nike, Inc. from 1997-2004, serving as corporate vice president and general manager of Nike's Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. In this position, he guided regional revenues to nearly $4 billion from approximately $2.5 billion over a four year period. He also served as vice president/general manager of the Canadian, Latin American and African business units from 1998 to 2000 including establishing the company's presence in Brazil, and prior to that, was vice president of global strategic planning.
Mr. van Paasschen also held executive positions with Disney Consumer Products and was previously engaged in management and business consulting. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics and biology from Amherst College in Massachusetts and a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.
Oakley's Board of Directors
Mr. van Paasschen qualifies as an independent director under the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and the company's Corporate Governance Guidelines and will serve on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. His appointment brings Oakley's Board of Directors to eight members including founder and chairman Jim Jannard, COO Link Newcomb, and independent directors Tom Davin, Mary George, Colombe Nicholas, Mike Puntoriero and Greg Trojan. Each of the Board's committees continues to be comprised solely of independent directors.
