Board of Advisors
Howard Belk
As Co-CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Siegel+Gale, Howard has operating responsibility for the overall performance of this global brand strategy and design firm and its offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dubai, Hamburg, London, and Shanghai. As Chief Creative Officer, Howard challenges S+G's creative teams in branding, advertising, interactive and simplified communications to live up to and give fresh expression to the firm's credo - Simple is Smart. In 2010, Advertising Age Magazine named Siegel+Gale one of the world's top four strategic branding firms.
Howard's experience developing and implementing brand strategies spans many industries, including biotech, consumer brands, education, energy, entertainment, financial services, hospitality, industrials, insurance, non-profits, pharmaceuticals, technology and telecommunications. He has led programs that have addressed mergers & acquisitions, brand proliferation, new competition, brand launches, and enhanced customer experience. His major clients have included Aetna, Allstate, American Express, Comcast, ConocoPhillips, Dow Jones, Free Library of Philadelphia, Intelsat, Motorola, The New School, Pfizer and SAP.
Before joining Siegel+Gale in 2004, Howard served as Group Director of Interbrand and prior to that as President and CEO of Red Sky Interactive. In 1988 Howard founded a nationally recognized, award-winning branding and corporate communications company serving many Fortune 500 clients. He joined Omnicom, the world's largest marketing services holding company, when they acquired that company in 1999.
His 25+ year career has led Howard to speak at professional conferences, serve on Tata Consultancy Services's Innovation Summit, lecture as guest professor at University of the Arts in Philadelphia, publish essays and commentary, serve on the Brand Advisory Board of Appleton Papers, jury numerous competitions of professional organizations and win many awards and distinctions for design and art direction.
Howard holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has completed Omnicom's Senior Management and Graduate Management Programs at Babson College.
Bruce G. Crain
Bruce G. Crain is CEO, President and Board Member for Kid Brands, Inc. which is focused on infant and juvenile products markets. Kid Brands was previously named Russ Berrie & Company prior to its transformation under Mr. Crain's leadership from a company traditionally known for its leadership position in the gift industry.
Kid Brands, Inc. and its subsidiaries are leaders in the design, development and distribution of infant and juvenile branded products. Its design-led products are primarily distributed through mass market, baby super stores, specialty, food, drug, independent and e-commerce retailers worldwide. Kid Brands' business is composed of four wholly-owned subsidiaries: Kids Line, LLC; LaJobi, Inc; Sassy, Inc.; and CoCaLo, Inc.
Through these subsidiaries, the Company designs and markets branded infant and juvenile products in a number of complementary categories including, among others: infant bedding and related nursery accessories and decor (Kids Line® and CoCaLo®); nursery furniture and related products (LaJobi®); and developmental toys and feeding, bath and baby care items with features that address the various stages of an infant's early years (Sassy®). In addition to the Company's branded products, the Company also markets certain categories of products pursuant to various licenses, including Carter's®, Disney®, Graco® and Serta®.
Previously, Crain was Group President for Blyth, Inc.'s Wholesale Group segment worldwide, and a SVP and member of the Office of the Chairman. He was also President of the European Affiliates Group and President of Global Services, where he was responsible for Corporate Marketing, Research and Development, Manufacturing and Global Sourcing operations.
Crain also served as CFO of Home Innovations, Inc., which launched Calvin Klein Home. He was a consultant with McKinsey & Company and held various financial services industry roles. He earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. from Wesleyan University.
Barry Erdos
Barry Erdos, 66, served as Chief Executive Officer of F.A.O. Schwarz, Inc. from March 2009 until its acquisition by Toys "R" Us in May 2009. Mr. Erdos has also been a director of Bluefly, Inc. from 2005-2009, having previously served as its President and Chief Operating Officer in 2008.
Prior to joining Bluefly, Mr. Erdos held senior management positions with prominent retailers including President and Chief Operating Officer of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., Chief Operating Officer of AnnTaylor Stores Corporation, and Chief Operating Officer of J. Crew Group, Inc.
As well, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Limited Brands, Inc.'s Limited Express, Lane Bryant and Henri Bendel divisions, along with holding the position of Corporate Vice President and Controller of The Limited Brands, Inc. during his almost 11 year tenure at the company.
Lester Gribetz
Lester Gribetz serves as the Senior Vice President for the Waterford/Wedgwood Corporation in charge of product development and licensing. He is also a retail and marketing consultant for clients including: Dr. Andrew Weil, internationally famous head of Integrative Medicine for the University of Arizona; Prestige Wine and Fragrance Corporation, and Pyramid Retailing, the group currently building the first 100% constructed "green" mall in the United States.
Gribetz was previously Vice Chairman of Bloomingdales and served as a consultant to Federated Department stores for both the Home and Cosmetics Divisions. He was also a private consultant with Marvin Traub to clients including, but not limited to: American Express, Men's Health Magazine, Adrienne Vittadini, the Bombay Stores and Giorgio Armani.
Gribetz has received the Lifetime Scholarship Award from the Fashion Institute of Technology, the City of Hope Award establishing an Aids research Laboratory in his honor and the Home Textile Design Award from the National Bath, Bed and Linen Association. He serves on the board of God's Love We Deliver, an Organization dedicated to providing meals for homebound patients with Cancer and Aids and on the Advisory Board of the Fashion Institute of Technology.
David M. Tracy
David M. Tracy is a well known industry leader; he pioneered the evolution of home textiles from a commodity business to a fashion industry, spearheading change at both retail and manufacturing levels. Tracy was formerly President of Fieldcrest Mills, Vice Chairman and a Director of J.P. Stevens Corp., where he initiated the Ralph Lauren Lifestyle Home Program and then became Chairman of Calvin Klein Home, a division of Home Innovations.
Tracy currently serves on the Board of International Executive Services Corp., Stonehill College, and the Educational Foundation for the Fashion Industries. He served as Chairman of the American Textile Manufacturers Institute Consumer Affairs Committee.
Tracy received an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a B.S. from Brown University - Providence College.