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Ralph V. Whitworth. Age 51. Since 1996, Mr. Whitworth has been a principal of Relational, a private investment firm with approximately 40 employees and approximately $6.5 billion assets under management. Since 2000, Mr. Whitworth has been a member of E-celerator fund, LLC, a private investment firm with approximately three employees and $7.5 million assets under management. He is a former principal of Relational Advisors LLC (1997-2005; approximately 35 employees), a NASD registered broker dealer and investment bank. He is the former chairman of the board of Apria Healthcare Group Inc. (1998-2005), former chairman of the board of Waste Management, Inc. (1999; director 1998-2004), and a former director of Mattel, Inc. (2000-2003), Tektronix, Inc. (1999-2002) and Sirius Satellite Radio, Inc. (1994-2001). Mr. Whitworth is also a director of privately-held Titan Investment Partners, LLC, an investment fund which focuses on emerging companies.
From 1988 to 1996, Mr. Whitworth served as president of Whitworth and Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based advisory firm, which advised major corporations and investors on investments, acquisitions, and corporate governance matters. He was also President of Development at United Thermal Corporation from 1989 to 1992, and was a member of its board of directors.
Previous experience includes four years as assistant to the general partner at Mesa Limited Partnership, which during his tenure was the nation’s largest independent oil and gas exploration and production company. Mr. Whitworth also held the pro bono position of President of the United Shareholders Association, and while doing so, authored the petition for rulemaking which culminated in a major overhaul in 1992 of the Commission’s shareholder communication and compensation disclosure rules. In addition, he served on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee staff of Senator Paul Laxalt from 1981 to 1984.
Mr. Whitworth was appointed to the Board as a Class I director, effective on March 22, 2006, pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement. As required by the Settlement Agreement, Mr. Whitworth serves on our Executive, Audit and Compensation Committees. He also serves on our Nominating Committee. Mr. Whitworth was appointed to the Board of Sovereign Bank, effective May 31, 2006.
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