Corporate

Board Committee Composition

  Independent Audit Committee Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee
Anton Rabie No    
Anton Rabie

Anton Rabie, Chair and Co-Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Rabie is a co-founder of the Company and is currently the Co-Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Rabie is a past member of the Supplier Council of the world’s top retailers. He, along with his co-founders, was a recipient of Canada’s Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 1999 in the Emerging Entrepreneur Category and has been featured as a Top 40 under 40 executive for his achievements in Canada and the global marketplace. Since inception, Mr. Rabie has led the Company’s human resources, marketing and sales. He has been instrumental in developing the Company’s European presence and has worked directly with hundreds of retailers to build the Company’s North American and international sales network. Presently, Mr. Rabie plays a foundational role in the Company’s acquisitions, having led the Company’s acquisitions such as Tech Deck, Spy Gear, Cardinal and Meccano. Mr. Rabie earned an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University in 1994. Mr. Rabie is actively involved in community organizations.

Anton Rabie is not considered to be an Independent Director since he is an executive officer of the Company. Mr. Rabie is a Majority Principal Nominee.

Ronnen Harary No    
Ronnen Harary

Ronnen Harary, Director and Co-Chief Executive Officer

Ronnen Harary is a co-founder of the Company and is currently the Co-Chief Executive Officer. He, along with his co-founders, was a recipient of Canada’s Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 1999 in the Emerging Entrepreneur Category and has been featured as a Top 40 under 40 executive for his achievements in Canada and the global marketplace. Since inception, Mr. Harary has played a key role in the Company’s operations and product development. He plays a major role in product development, building strategic relationships and as an acting visionary for the Company. Mr. Harary currently spends the majority of his time seeking out new business opportunities. Mr. Harary is responsible for establishing the Company as a world-class licensing partner and he continues to manage and build key relationships with the Company’s licensing partners all over the world. Mr. Harary earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Western University in 1994. Mr. Harary is on the board of directors for Futurpreneur Canada (formerly Canadian Youth Business Foundation), a national non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners, a member of the Young Presidents Organization, a global peer network of chief executives and business leaders, and a member of the Milken Institute Young Leaders Circle, a non-profit, non-partisan think tank.

Ronnen Harary is not considered to be an Independent Director since he is an executive officer of the Company. Mr. Harary is a Majority Principal Nominee.

Jeffrey I. Cohen No   Yes
Jeffrey I. Cohen

Jeffrey I. Cohen, Director

Jeffrey I. Cohen is the managing partner at Torkin Manes LLP (a full service Toronto law firm) and a member of the firm’s Business Law and Corporate Finance Groups. Mr. Cohen has been a lawyer at Torkin Manes LLP since 1986. Mr. Cohen is the immediate past treasurer of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, a Jewish charity organization, and a past member of its board of directors. He is currently a member and Chair of the national board of directors of Weizmann Canada, a part of the worldwide network of supporting organizations for the Weizmann Institute of Science, one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary research institutions. Mr. Cohen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University and a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Jeffrey I. Cohen is not considered to be an Independent Director since he is a partner of Torkin Manes LLP, which provides legal services to the Company. Mr. Cohen is a Majority Principal Nominee.

Dina R. Howell Yes (Chair)
Dina R. Howell

Dina R. Howell, Director

Dina R. Howell is a corporate director. She was the Chief Executive Officer of Saatchi & Saatchi X, a shopper marketing agency, from 2010 to July 2015. Previously Ms. Howell held a variety of positions during her 22 year career at Procter & Gamble, a global consumer products company, ultimately serving as Vice President Global Media and Brand Operations. She serves on the board of directors of Give Kids the World. Ms. Howell also does independent business consulting. Ms. Howell graduated from The University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio with a Bachelor of Business Administration in June 1984.

Dina R. Howell is an Independent Director.

Todd Tappin Yes (Chair)  
Todd Tappin

Todd Tappin, Director

Todd Tappin is President and Chief Financial Officer of TechStyle Inc. (a privately-held fashion company), a position he has held since July 2016. Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of The Rubicon Project, Inc. (a publicly traded technology company), a position he held since 2013. Previously, Mr. Tappin was the Chief Executive Officer of SocialVibe, later renamed TrueX Media, an online advertising technology company from October 2010 to February 2013 and a Managing Director of The Gores Group, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm from January 2009 to October 2010. He was the founding Chief Financial Officer of Overture, a pioneer in paid search which became a publicly traded company and was ultimately acquired by Yahoo!. Prior to Overture, Mr. Tappin spent six years as a senior executive at 21st Century Fox / News Corporation, an American multi-national mass media company, as Senior Vice President of Finance and General Manager. Mr. Tappin previously was a senior auditor at Deloitte, Haskins and Sells (now known as Deloitte LLP) and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado.

Todd Tappin is an Independent Director.

Charles Winograd (Lead Director) Yes Yes  
Charles Winograd

Charles Winograd, Director

Charles Winograd is Senior Managing Partner of Elm Park Capital Management (a mid-market lending limited partnership) and is also President of Winograd Capital Inc. (an external consulting and private investment firm). From 2001 to 2008, Mr. Winograd was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RBC Capital Markets. He was also President and Chief Operating Officer of RBC Dominion Securities from 1998 to 2001. He also served as Deputy Chairman and Director of RBC Dominion Securities from 1996 to 1998, following its acquisition of Richardson Greenshields. From 1971, Mr. Winograd held several progressively senior positions with Richardson Greenshields and predecessor companies becoming President and Chief Executive Officer in 1987 and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1991. Mr. Winograd is presently on the boards of TMX Group Ltd., where he is Chairman, James Richardson and Sons Limited and Titan Holdings. He is also on the Board of Trustees for RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust and is a Management Advisor with RP Investment Advisors. In addition, Mr. Winograd is a director of Sinai Health System and was on the Canadian federal government’s Advisory Council for Promoting Women on Boards. Mr. Winograd is a past Chairman of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada. Mr. Winograd received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Manitoba and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University. He earned a Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1979.

Charles Winograd is an Independent Director and a Majority Principal Nominee.

Ben Varadi No    
Ben Varadi

Ben Varadi, Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer

Mr. Varadi is a co-founder of the Company and is currently Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer. He, along with his co-founders, was a recipient of Canada’s Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 1999 in the Emerging Entrepreneur Category and has been featured as a Top 40 under 40 executive for his achievements in Canada and the global marketplace. He plays an active role in product selection and development and his creative approach remains influential to the Company’s product selection. Mr. Varadi earned an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University in 1994.

Ben Varadi is not considered to be an Independent Director since he is an executive officer of the Company. Mr. Varadi is a Majority Principal Nominee.

Ben J. Gadbois No    
Ben J. Gadbois

Ben J. Gadbois, Director, Global President & Chief Operating Officer

Ben J. Gadbois joined the Company in 2012 as the Global President & Chief Operating Officer. He has over 21 years’ experience in public companies, primarily in the consumer packaged goods industry. Mr. Gadbois joined the Company from Newell-Rubbermaid, a consumer and commercial products company, where his most recent role was the Global President of the Markers, Highlighters, Art and Office Essentials business. During his 13 years with Newell-Rubbermaid, Mr. Gadbois also led several other businesses such as Rubbermaid, Pyrex, Irwin Hand Tools and Graco Europe / Middle East. Prior to this, Mr. Gadbois held positions at Black and Decker and Arthur Andersen. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Salem State University in Massachusetts as well as the Chartered Professional Accountant and Certified Management Accountant professional designations. Mr. Gadbois also serves on various external private company boards.

Ben J. Gadbois is not considered to be an Independent Director since he is an executive officer of the Company. Mr. Gadbois is a Majority Principal Nominee.

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