Bios & Advisory Board

Ethan Shapiro, Managing Member

After several decades in the retail industry, Ethan established an advisory firm in 2002 with some of the best people he had worked with .They help provide answers to the many questions asked during his years managing and running a broad array of businesses. Ethan Shapiro and Associates, LLC (ESA) was created to serve the needs of retail and equity firms in a multitude of ways. Ethan Shapiro has had extensive experience in merchandising, operations, finance, real estate and the private equity markets. Ethan played a central role in driving the growth of national retail chains, opening over 5,000 stores for companies such as The Limited, Lane Bryant, C.W. Toys and One Price Clothing Stores. From 2003 through late 2007 he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Urban Brands, Inc., a niche fashion retailer and the parent company of Ashley Stewart, Ashley Stewart.com and Marianne Stores Caribbean. He is considered one of retailing’s foremost authorities on multi- cultural retailing.

Ethan has also been active in community outreach, serving as Executive-In-Residence and a Director of the University of South Carolina’s School of Retail Management, the Board of Directors of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and a founder of the Ashley Stewart Stores Community Foundation. Ethan also received the 2007 Executive of the Year Award from the Black Retail Action Group and the 2007 La Fundacion Sobrevivientes de Cancer Mamario en Puerto Rico Humanitarian Award.

Jonas Shapiro, Managing Director, E-Commerce, Online Marketing & Social Media

Jonas is recognized as an early pioneer of e-commerce and online merchandising, having successfully launched over 10 websites and more than 20 full website revisions for top companies in the apparel and fashion industries. As part of the founding management team at Bluefly.com, he was a key contributor in growing the company from a concept to a multi-million dollar on- line apparel retailer. In addition Jonas worked for Amazon.com, where he was responsible for the launch of several new online retail stores in the apparel and accessory division. Jonas served as the Director of E-commerce at Urban Brands, Inc. where he developed and implemented all aspects of the launch of ashleystewart.com. He was also responsible for merchandising, planning and allocation, fulfillment, call center, affiliate marketing, photography and core IT relationships. In his current position as Managing Director of E-Commerce, Online Marketing & Social Media for ESA he works with our clients to insure they maximize productivity by launching new sites or upgrading existing sites as they grow and expand their Web-based presence.

Jonas has also served in management positions at Saks Fifth Avenue and Polo Ralph Lauren.

Thaddeus (Ted) Debiak, Merchandise Planning

Ted is a specialist in consumer planning and allocation, with extensive related systems expertise in multi-store and e-commerce environments. He brings 40 years of experience fostering profitability Ethan Shapiro and Associates, LLC Capability Statement and growth for retailers through thorough analysis and re-engineering merchandise strategies. His expertise is in planning structures and processes to achieve increased volume, sales growth and inventory productivity. He also has experience in purchase order management systems, model stock and replenishment systems. Ted believes that understanding how to monitor and control on- order vs. the open-to-buy is the only way to guarantee and maintain inventory freshness. He has worked with companies with revenues of $50 million to $2 billion, and has a national reputation as a leader in his field.

Sherry Ferrell, Retail Operations & Human Resources

Sherry is an accomplished human resource professional, with over 20 years’ experience in the apparel and retail industries. With a focus on attracting and retaining top talent, she has successfully established H. R. departments that resulted in higher quality candidates and reduced cost-per- hire. She is an authority on creating programs that ensure a company’s associate base matches its customer base. Sherry has been responsible for designing incentive programs that build teamwork, increase sales and reward top achievers. She has developed and managed small and large company events that incentivize associates with recognitions that match their rewards, while always meeting the ROI goal of the business. Sherry has directed and managed the growth, expansion and mergers of several companies. She has directed policy alignment, relocation programs and succession plans, and most importantly has created communication strategies to ensure that morale remained positive during transitions. In addition, she develops programs aimed at improving individual skills, and ensuring that associates and company culture are aligned. Sherry has held senior positions with Lane Bryant, KayBee Toys, Nine West Group, Jones Apparel Group, Waterworks and the executive search firm Daniel G. Fischer.

Pres Talley, Real Estate & Lease Assessments/Modification

Pres brings more than 35 years of experience in both business operations and real estate. He heads ESA’s Commercial Real Estate Division, and has vast experience in various areas of real estate including urban, mixed use, neighborhood, and lifestyle and power shopping centers. Pres and his group represented tenants in single transactions as well as portfolio-wide representation. For companies with remaining lease obligations on space that is no longer necessary or profitable, Pres manages ESA’s Lease Assessment and Lease Modification team. His experience includes site selection, analysis and lease negotiations involving more than 1100 locations throughout the United States and Germany.

The retail real estate group has represented, among others, Fleming Foods, H&M, Houlihan’s Restaurants, Guess, Radio Shack, Carter’s Infant Apparel, Foot Locker, Ashley Stewart and Verizon.

Andrea Hart-Bing, Strategic Planning and Diversity

Andrea (Andy) Hart-Bing brings over 20 years of experience to the field of learning and development, human resource management, strategic planning, program development, and company communications. She has held positions and consultancies with organizations including Ethan Shapiro and Associates, LLC Capability Statement Howard University, GE, Verizon, MCI World Com, Urban Brands, Hour Eyes and Bloomingdales. Her consulting work has extended to not-for-profit organizations including Howard University Hospital, DC Public Schools, and the Mandela Economics Scholars Program. Throughout her career Andy has written many instructional curricula and programs and has served as the managing editor and editor for news journals, including Howard University, the Broadcast Education Association and College Communication Association. Andrea holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Master of Arts degree in Organizational Development from Howard University, and has completed her doctoral coursework and examinations in Intercultural Communications with a cognate area in Psychotherapy, earning the designation of ABD (all but dissertation) for the Ph.D. from Howard University.

Ray Lewis, Chairman of Oakton Investor Communications Equity Markets

Ray is a noted expert in strategic positioning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate control contests, and articulation of complex financial information. Recruited in 1991 by General Dynamics Corporation as Staff Vice President, Investor Relations to support the new CEO with strategic, policy and financial communications, he was responsible for drafting MD&A for 10-Ks and 10-Qs, strategic review sections for proxy statements and tender offer documents, and major policy speeches, as well as all financial press releases, annual and quarterly reports, and investment community presentations until his retirement in 2008. Ray also served as a correspondent for McGraw-Hill World News, and worked with other Fortune 200 companies in strategic communications.

Ken Seiff Founder and CEO Seiff & Company, LLC.

Seiff & Company is an investment bank dedicated to helping entrepreneurs create and tap extraordinary value, with a specific focus on creating opportunities to marketing those businesses to strategic buyers. Prior to starting his company, Ken was an Internet entrepreneur as well as an advisor in M&A. Since 1991, Ken has founded or assisted in developing more than six companies, two of which were public. As the founder of Diet Channel Network, Inc., Ken was the first to build an Internet social network for people who want to lose weight. Prior to that, he was the Founder and CEO of Bluefly, Inc., a publicly traded online apparel retailer that offered designer brands at discounted prices. During his tenure at Bluefly, Ken raised over $60 million from investors, including Soros Private Equity Partners, Peter Lynch and the investing public. Ken has also consulted or partnered with dozens of companies including Amazon, American Idol, Lacoste and Tribeca Films. Ken has also served on the Boards of the National Retail Federation and Shop.org.

Ken graduated from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania.