John D Howard

John D. Howard, 57, has served as a director since August 1998. Mr. Howard is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Irving Place Capital. Previously from 1997 through June of 2008, Mr. Howard served as a Senior Managing Director of Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and was the Chief Executive Officer of Bear Stearns Merchant Banking LLC, an affiliate of Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. Mr. Howard had been the head of the merchant banking department of Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. since its inception in 1997. Mr. Howard is also a member of the board of directors of the publicly traded companies New York & Company, Inc. and Vitamin Shoppe Industries, as well as a director of several privately held corporations.