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Larry V. Macfarlane became president of Big Planet in September 2003. His decisive leadership and entrepreneurial spirit have moved Big Planet in exciting new directions while continuing to build on the company’s current portfolio of quality goods and services. With Mr. Macfarlane’s expertise, the division grew from unprofitable margins to a profitable entity within Nu Skin Enterprises. He has an exceptional ability to clarify vision and simplify complex business challenges. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Macfarlane worked for Wind River Systems since 1998 where he served as general manager of network infrastructure and digital consumer markets. While at Wind River Systems, Mr. Macfarlane developed and executed new strategies that built the company’s digital consumer business into a profitable $45 million operation in 2002 after taking charge of the declining, unprofitable unit a year earlier. Mr. Macfarlane also assembled the foundation for Wind River’s consumer market in 1998-99 by directing the licensing and development of advanced embedded software technologies including graphics, Java, web browsers and UNIX. Under his leadership, the company focused strategy, products and business model in Wind River System’s largest market segment leading to positive cash flow for the first time for this unit. Previous to Wind River Systems, Mr. Macfarlane served as president and chief executive officer of Zinc Software Incorporated from 1994 to 1998. In this leadership role, he was able to recapitalize the company, improve staff retention and ultimately sell the business for three times the initial valuation target. Prior to Zinc Software, Mr. Macfarlane also held executive positions at several high-tech companies, including vice president and general manager of Computer Equipment Warehouse’s Utah region from 1992 to1994, and president of Computers Made Easy from 1985 to1992. Macfarlane built Computers Made Easy into a top regional systems integration firm recognized as an elite Platinum Reseller by Novell. Mr. Macfarlane sold the business to Denver-based Computer Equipment Warehouse in 1992 and led the subsequent integration of operations.
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