Our Board
T. Gary Rogers, a director since 1998 and our Chairman since February 8, 2008, was most recently Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of premium and super-premium ice cream and frozen dessert products. He held that position from 1977 until the end of 2007. He serves as a director of Shorenstein Company, L.P., Stanislaus Food Products and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
R. John Anderson, our President and Chief Executive Officer since November 2006, previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since July 2006, President of our Global Supply Chain Organization since March 2004 Organization and Senior Vice President and President of our Asia Pacific region since 1998. He joined us in 1979. Mr. Anderson served as General Manager of Levi Strauss Canada and as President of Levi Strauss Canada and Latin America from 1996 to 1998. He has held a series of merchandising positions with us in Europe and the United States, including Vice President, Merchandising and Product Development for the Levi’s brand in 1995. Mr. Anderson also served as interim President of Levi Strauss Europe from September 2003 to February 2004.
Robert D. Haas, a director since 1980, was recently named Chairman Emeritus. He served as Chairman of our Board from 1989 to February 8, 2008. Mr. Haas joined us in 1973 and served in a variety of marketing, planning and operating positions including serving as our Chief Executive Officer from 1984 to 1999.
Peter A. Georgescu, a director since February 2000, is Chairman Emeritus of Young & Rubicam Inc. (now WPP Group plc), a global advertising agency. Prior to his retirement in January 2000, Mr. Georgescu served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Young & Rubicam since 1993 and, prior to that, as President of Y&R Inc. from 1990 to 1993, Y&R Advertising from 1986 to 1990 and President of its Young & Rubicam international division from 1982 to 1986. Mr. Georgescu is currently a director of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. and EMI Group plc.
Peter E. Haas, Jr., a director since 1985, is a director or trustee of each of the Levi Strauss Foundation, Red Tab Foundation, Walter and Elise Haas Fund and the Novato Youth Center Honorary Board. Mr. Haas was one of our managers from 1972 to 1989. He was Director of Product Integrity of The Jeans Company, one of our former operating units, from 1984 to 1989. He served as Director of Materials Management for Levi Strauss USA in 1982 and Vice President and General Manager in the Menswear Division in 1980.
F. Warren Hellman, a director since 1985, has served as Chairman and General Partner of Hellman & Friedman LLC, a private investment firm, since its inception in 1984. Previously, he was a General Partner of Hellman Ferri (now Matrix Partners) and Managing Director of Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb, Inc. Mr. Hellman is currently a director of DN&E Walter & Co., Sugar Bowl Corporation, Osterweis Capital Management, Inc. and Offit Hall Capital Management. Mr. Hellman also served as a director of NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. through February 2004.
Leon J. Level, a director since April 2005, is a former vice president and director of Computer Sciences Corporation, a leading global information technology services company. Mr. Level held ascending and varied financial management and executive positions at Computer Sciences Corporation (Chief Financial Officer from 1989 to February 2006), Unisys Corporation (Corporate Vice President, Treasurer and Chairman of Unisys Finance Corporation), Burroughs Corporation (Vice President, Treasurer), The Bendix Corporation (Executive Director and Assistant Corporate Controller) and Deloitte, Haskins & Sells (now Deloitte & Touche). Mr. Level is also currently a director of UTi Worldwide Inc.
Patricia Salas Pineda, a director since 1991, is currently Group Vice President, Legal, Philanthropy and Administration for Toyota Motor North America, Inc., an affiliate of one of the world’s largest automotive firms. She assumed this position on September 2004. Prior to joining Toyota Motor North America, Inc., Ms. Pineda was Vice President of Legal, Human Resources and Government Relations and Corporate Secretary of New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. with which she was associated since 1984. She is currently a trustee of the RAND Corporation and Mills College and a director of the James Irvine Foundation and Anna’s Linens.
Vanessa J. Castagna, a director since October 2, 2007, most recently led Mervyns department stores as its executive chairwoman of the board from 2005 until early 2007. Prior to Mervyns, Castagna served as chairman and chief executive officer of JC Penney Stores, Catalog and Internet from 2002 through 2004. She joined JC Penney in 1999 as chief operating officer, and was both president and COO in 2001. Castagna’s extensive retail career includes senior-level merchandising positions at retail companies including Wal-Mart, Marshall’s and Target. Castagna began her retail career in 1972 with Lazarus, a division of Federated Department Stores, where she rose from management trainee to senior vice president and general merchandise manager.
Stephen C. Neal, a director since October 2, 2007, is the chairman and chief executive officer of the law firm Cooley Godward Kronish LLP. In addition to his extensive experience as a trial lawyer on a broad range of corporate issues, Neal has represented and advised numerous boards of directors, special committees of boards and individual directors on corporate governance and other legal matters. His clients have included many large and high-profile companies, such as General Motors, PG&E, PacifiCare Health Systems and USG Corporation. Prior to joining Cooley Godward in 1995 and becoming CEO in 2001, Stephen was with Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago. He started there in 1973 and was a partner from 1978 until 1995.