Steven L. Ortega

Steven L. Ortega

Chairman of the Board

Mr. Ortega’s prior roles at the Company include Chief Executive Officer and President from 2017 to 2020, President and Chief Operating Officer from 2015 to 2017, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer from 2014 to 2015, and EVP and Chief Financial Officer from 2005 to 2015. Prior to joining the Leslie’s organization, Mr. Ortega served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for BI-LO, LLC from 1999 to 2005. At that time, BI-LO, LLC, was a $4.8 billion leading multi-branded regional supermarket chain in the southeast United States, which operated 423 stores in six states. Mr. Ortega’s responsibilities at BI-LO, LLC included the leadership and oversight of the Finance, Treasury, Accounting, Real Estate, Construction, Information Technology, Risk Management, and Internal Audit functions. Mr. Ortega also held the position of President of Golden Gallon Convenience Stores, a wholly owned subsidiary of BI-LO, LLC, based in Tennessee. Prior to joining BI-LO, LLC, Mr. Ortega was with American Stores Company, holding various positions within their supermarket and drug store subsidiaries, including Vice President, Finance and Administration and Vice President, Logistics. Mr. Ortega has a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Arizona.

Michael R. Egeck

Michael R. Egeck

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Mr. Egeck joined the Company in February 2020. Previously, Mr. Egeck served as the Chief Executive Officer of PSEB Group, a $1.5 billion operating company composed of the Eddie Bauer outdoor brand and teen retailer PACSUN. Mr. Egeck has more than three decades of experience and a proven track record of driving transformational growth for a variety of brands and business models including: Chief Executive Officer of Eddie Bauer (from 2012 to 2020); Chief Executive Officer of Hurley International, a division of Nike, Inc. (from 2011 to 2012); President of True Religion Apparel, Inc. (from 2010 to 2011); President of VF Corp’s Contemporary Brand Coalition (from 2007 to 2009); Chief Executive Officer of Seven For All Mankind, prior to its acquisition by VF Corp. (from 2006 to 2007); President of VF Corp’s Outdoor and Action Sports Coalition (from 2004 to 2006); and President of The North Face, a division of VF Corp (from 2000 to 2004). Previously, Mr. Egeck held senior leadership positions at Columbia Sportswear and Seattle Pacific Industries. Mr. Egeck has a B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington and an M.B.A. from the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.

Yolanda Daniel

Yolanda Daniel

Director

Ms. Daniel joined the board in October 2020. Ms. Daniel is the former vice president, finance of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago where since between 2017 through 2022 she was responsible for finance, financial analytics, procurement and supplier diversity. Ms. Daniel brings 30 years of experience in finance, accounting and audit leadership for global and US-based operations across the distribution, financial services, and healthcare industries. Ms. Daniel has most recently served as finance executive for mission based organizations including CFO for IFF, a community development financial institution and real estate developer, and the American Board of Medical Specialties. Ms. Daniel’s career, predominantly in industry, includes leadership roles at W. W. Grainger, Inc. where she was global chief audit executive, division CFO for Acklands-Grainger, Inc. (Grainger Canada), and vice president for U.S. financial services and global finance transformation. While at CVS Health (formerly CVS Caremark), Ms. Daniel led internal audit services as vice president, and was actively engaged in attest and advisory services during the divestiture of its physician practice management business, and subsequent growth and integration activities for the pharmaceutical benefits management business leading to its 2006 ranking as a Fortune 100. In 2015, Ms. Daniel was honored as a Chicago United Business Leader of Color, and is a Fellow of the 2017 class of the Aspen Institute Finance Leaders Fellowship, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Ms. Daniel earned an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and is an honors marketing alumna from Jackson State University.

Eric Kufel

Eric Kufel

Director

Mr. Kufel joined the board in January 2018 and served as our Executive Chairman from January 2019 through September 2019. Mr. Kufel is the former Chief Executive Officer of West Marine, Inc., a retailer of boating and fishing supplies, and held such role from August 2021 through December 2022.  Previously, Mr. Kufel served as Chairman of CorePower Yoga from 2016 to 2020 and as its Chief Executive Officer from 2016 to 2019. From 2015 to 2016, Mr. Kufel was an Operating Partner at L Catterton and served on the board of Ferrara Candy Company. Mr. Kufel also served as a Director and the Chief Executive Officer of Van’s Foods from 2009 to 2014 and Inventure Foods, Inc. from 1997 to 2008. Mr. Kufel has a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Gonzaga University and a master’s degree from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Susan O’Farrell

Susan O’Farrell

Director

Ms. O’Farrell joined the board in October 2020. Previously, Ms. O’Farrell served as Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President, Principal Accounting Officer and Treasurer at BlueLinx Holdings Inc., a wholesale distributor of building and industrial products, from 2014 to 2020.  Ms. O’Farrell has been a senior financial executive holding several roles with The Home Depot, a home improvement retailer, from 1999 to 2014.  As the Vice President of Finance at The Home Depot, Ms. O’Farrell led teams supporting the retail organization. In her final role with The Home Depot, Ms. O’Farrell was responsible for the finance function for The Home Depot’s At Home Services Group. Ms. O’Farrell began her career with Andersen Consulting, LLP, leaving as an Associate Partner in 1996 for a strategic information systems role with AGL Resources. Ms. O’Farrell served as Director BlueLinx Corporation, a subsidiary of BlueLinx Holdings. Ms. O’Farrell also serves on the board of directors of American Trailer World and International Women’s Forum – Georgia Chapter.  Ms. O’Farrell is a holder of the CERT Certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight.  Ms. O’Farrell has a B.S. in business administration from Auburn University.

James Ray, Jr

James Ray, Jr

Lead Independent Director

Mr. Ray served from 2013 to 2020 in various leadership capacities at Stanley Black & Decker, Inc, most recently as President of STANLEY Engineered Fastening. He previously served from 2009 to 2013 as Senior Vice President and General Manager of TE Connectivity Inc. (f/k/a Tyco Electronics) where he was responsible for its North and South American Automotive connectivity business. From 1993 to 2009 Mr. Ray served in numerous engineering and operational leadership roles at General Motors Company, where he began his career, and at Delphi Corporation following its spin-off from GM. He currently serves on the board of directors of Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc. and Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc.

Claire Spofford

Claire Spofford

Director

Ms. Spofford joined the Board in May 2022. Ms. Spofford currently serves as J.Jill’s Chief Executive Officer and President. She also serves on J.Jill’s board of directors. Prior to joining J.Jill in February 2021, Ms. Spofford was the President of Cornerstone Brands from December 2017 to October 2020. In that role, she oversaw a portfolio of four interactive, aspirational, home and apparel lifestyle brands: Ballard Designs, Frontgate, Garnet Hill and Grandin Road. She led the team there in evolving the brands into profitable, digitally-driven omnichannel businesses. Before being promoted into this role, from January 2014 to December 2017, Ms. Spofford was the President of Garnet Hill. Prior to that, Ms. Spofford was Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of J.Jill and held numerous leadership roles at Orchard Brands, including Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Group President for Premium Brands, and President of Appleseed’s. Before joining Orchard Brands, Spofford served as Vice President, Global Marketing of Timberland. Ms. Spofford currently serves on the board of directors of Reclaim Childhood, and she previously served on the boards of White Flower Farm and Project Adventure, Inc. Ms. Spofford received her M.B.A. from Babson College and her Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from the University of Vermont.

John Strain

John Strain

Director

Mr. Strain joined the board in August 2018. Mr. Strain was the Head of e-Commerce and Technology at Gap, Inc., between October 2019 and May 2022.  Gap, Inc. is an American worldwide clothing and accessories retailer founded in 1969. Mr. Strain had responsibilities for technology, product management, data and analytics, and loyalty and payments. Mr. Strain also oversaw the digital business including e-commerce strategy and operations and digital and direct marketing. With almost 30 years in the retail technology and e-commerce space, Mr. Strain brings a consumer-centric mindset to a delivery orientation that has resulted in a track-record of successful digital transformations. Prior to joining Gap Inc., Mr. Strain was the General Manager of the Retail and Consumer Goods Industry for Salesforce. Mr. Strain also spent 11 years at Williams-Sonoma Inc. as the Chief Digital and Technology Officer where he was responsible for technology, product management, and digital marketing. Mr. Strain also spent 14 years as a management consultant. Mr. Strain received a B.S. in Finance from Santa Clara University where he was a member of the Retail Management Institute