John R. Speirs, Board Chairman
Mr. Speirs has been a director since 2004 and currently serves as Board Chairman. His current term expires in October 2013. He serves as lead director and was named Chairman of the Board upon the retirement of Ladd Seaberg from Board service on August 27, 2009. He is the Chairman and co-founder of Stellus Consulting, a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based strategy consulting firm formed in 2001 that specializes in business strategy, strategic visioning, merger and acquisition support and branding strategy. From 1998 to 2000 he served as Executive Vice President of Marketing for Diageo PLC and from 1989 to 1998 he served in various capacities with Pillsbury, the last being as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Brand Development from 1995 to 1998. Prior thereto, he served as an officer and in other management capacities with Lever Brothers from 1975.