Joanna Strober Resigns After 9 Years of Service
Blue Nile, Inc. (Nasdaq:NILE) today announced the addition of Ned
Mansour and Leslie Lane to its Board of Directors.
“We are fortunate to add such accomplished leaders to our Board of
Directors. Ned and Leslie bring extensive experience with consumer
products and consumer brands, and they will provide skillful leadership
as we continue to build an iconic brand both domestically and
internationally in the years ahead,” said Diane Irvine, Blue Nile’s
Chief Executive Officer.
Mansour joins the Board of Directors with a wealth of experience in
operations, international expansion, marketing, and corporate
governance. He served as President of Mattel, Inc., a worldwide leader
in the design, manufacture and marketing of family products, until his
retirement in March 2000. Mansour joined Mattel in 1978 as a senior
attorney and held numerous positions before becoming President,
including President of Corporate Operations, President of Mattel USA,
Chief Administrative Officer, and Executive Vice President and General
Counsel. Mansour currently serves on the Board of Directors of the
Ryland Group, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders. In addition,
Mansour previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of
Mattel and Big Lots, Inc., a Fortune 500 retailer. He holds a B.A. in
Finance from the University of Southern California and a J.D. from the
University of San Diego School of Law.
Lane joins the Board of Directors with deep expertise in building a
customer-centric brand. Lane is currently the Vice President and General
Manager of Nike’s Global Running group. Lane was appointed to the
running group to lead a sharp consumer focus on running worldwide at
Nike, Inc., the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of
authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories. Lane
joined Nike in 2003 as part of the company’s subsidiaries team,
initially leading the acquisition and integration of Converse. From 2004
to 2006, Lane was responsible for Nike's global footwear strategy,
finance and costing activities. Prior to joining Nike, Lane held
executive positions at operating companies of Roll International
Corporation, a private holding company, and was previously a consultant
with Bain & Company, Inc. Lane holds an M.A. in Chemistry from Oxford
University and an M.B.A. from Harvard University.
Blue Nile also announced today that Joanna Strober has resigned from its
Board of Directors, effective December 17, 2008. Strober served as a
director since May 1999. “Joanna has been with us since the Company’s
inception and has contributed invaluable guidance to Blue Nile over the
years,” said Irvine. “We have greatly appreciated Joanna’s unwavering
dedication to our business and her belief in Blue Nile’s mission to
build the premier specialty retailer of jewelry by redefining the
consumer experience in the category. On behalf of the entire Board, I
would like to express our sincere gratitude to Joanna. She will be
missed,” added Irvine.
About Blue Nile, Inc.
Blue Nile, Inc. is the leading online retailer of diamonds and fine
jewelry. The Company delivers the ultimate customer experience,
providing consumers with a superior way to buy engagement rings, wedding
rings and fine jewelry. Blue Nile offers in-depth educational materials
and unique online tools that place consumers in control of the jewelry
shopping process. The Company offers thousands of independently
certified diamonds and fine jewelry at prices significantly below
traditional retail, with quality standards that are among the highest in
the industry. Blue Nile can be found online at www.bluenile.com,
www.bluenile.ca
and www.bluenile.co.uk.
Blue Nile’s shares are traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC under the
symbol NILE.
Blue Nile, Inc.
Eileen Askew, (Investors) 206-336-6745
bluenileir@bluenile.com
or
Liz
Powell, (Media) 206-336-6755
liz@bluenile.com
