The Board believes that Ms. Kuenker is qualified to serve on the Board due to her extensive management experience in the agricultural industry.
David McInerney, 53, is a new director nominee. Until 2021, Mr. McInerney was the co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and a board member of FreshDirect, a leading online grocer. Mr. McInerney joined the founding team at FreshDirect in 2000 where he held various positions throughout his career, including Chief Merchandising Officer, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Food Adventurer, before being named Chief Executive Officer in 2018. He currently serves on the board of directors for the New York Common Pantry, and on the board of advisors of Lekka Burger, a plant based burger restaurant. Mr. McInerney started his career as a chef alongside top restaurateurs. He attended the Culinary Institute of America.
The Board believes that Mr. McInerney is qualified to serve on the Board due to his substantial expertise in the food industry, including the food retailing and restaurant industries.
Kevin Schwartz, 46,47, has served on our Board since July 2020. Mr. Schwartz is Chief Executive Officer and a Founding Partner at Paine Schwartz Partners. Prior to co-founding Paine Schwartz Partners in 2006, Mr. Schwartz was a Managing Director at Fox Paine & Company, LLC, which he joined in 2002. Prior to joining Fox Paine & Company, LLC, he worked for the private equity firms Fremont Partners and American Industrial Partners. He began his professional career at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the Investment Banking Division. He is currently a director of the following private companies: Advanced Agrilytics, FoodChain ID, Lyons Magnus, Prima Wawona, SNFL Group, and UrbanFarmer LLC. He also previously served as a director of the following private companies: AgBiTech, Costa Group Holdings Pty Ltd., Sunrise Growers, Verisem, Verdesian Life Sciences, LLC, Advanta, Icicle Seafoods, Inc., Seminis, VCST Industrial Products and United American Energy. Mr. Schwartz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from the University of Illinois.
The Board believes that Mr. Schwartz is qualified to serve on our Board due to his extensive investment experience in the agricultural industry, as well as his experience serving on boards of directors.
Macauley Whiting, Jr., 64, joinedone of our Board uponcurrent directors, has decided not to stand for election at the consummationannual meeting. We thank Mr. Whiting for his service as a member of the Business Combination on July 31, 2015.Board.
Each of Mr. Whiting has served as President Emeritus of The Herbert H.Campbell, Ms. Dicciani and Grace A. Dow Foundation since September 2019 and served as its President from April 2014 to September 2019, as its Treasurer from 2005 to 2015 and as its Secretary from 2000 to 2005. In addition, Mr. Whiting previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Decker Energy International, a privately-held renewable energy company he founded in 1982 and built up until 2012, when he sold the company. Mr. Whiting holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering (cum laude) from Princeton University.
The Board believes that Mr. Whiting is qualified to serve on our Board due to his general business acumen, knowledge of chemistry and extensive management experience.
Mr. Whiting was initially designated for nomination to our Board pursuant to the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreement, dated April 30, 2015, by and between the Company and TDCC.
Each of Mr. Atkin, Mr. Corbacho, Ms. Kuenker and Mr. Schwartz was appointed to the Board pursuant to the terms of the Investment Agreement, dated June 13, 2020 (as may be amended or modified, the “Investment Agreement”), between the Company and PSP AGFS Holdings, L.P. (the “Investor”). The Investor also has the right to appoint a director to fill the current vacancy on the Board, in accordance with the terms of the Investment Agreement.
Preferred Director
In addition to the directors listed above, pursuant to the terms of the certificate of designation of the one share of our Series A preferred stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) that was issued to TDCC, which is now a subsidiary of Dow, upon the consummation of the Business Combination, TDCC is entitled to appoint one director (the “Preferred Director”) to the Board for so long as TDCC beneficially holds 10% or more of the aggregate amount of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock and non-voting common stock. The Series A Preferred Stock does not have any other rights.
Until June 1, 2022, Torsten Kraef, 54, joined our Board upon the consummation of the Business Combination on July 31, 2015. Mr. Kraef has served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for Dow since December 2016, where he leads the development of corporate strategy and coordinates implementation of key strategic tracks. As of September 2017, when Dow and DuPont consummated their merger transaction, he worked closely with the DowDuPont Executive Chairman and Chief Financial Officer to advance the merger and spin-off transaction which was completed with the spin-off of Dow and Corteva during the second quarter of 2019. Mr. Kraef currently leads Dow’s Enterprise Risk Management, Enterprise Security Service and the incubation of strategic and innovative new business growth opportunities. He is a member of Dow’s Executive Committee and Corporate Leadership Team, which is accountable for delivering against corporate strategic and operations targets. Prior to his current position, he served as Corporate Vice President of Strategy Development and New Business Development for Dow from August 2013 to December 2016, and as Corporate Vice President of Strategy Development from September 2012 to August 2013. During 2014 to 2019, Mr. Kraef served on our Board as the DAS Members Committee and Mycogen Board of Directors, both subsidiaries of Dow at the time. In 2012, he also servedPreferred Director. We thank Mr. Kraef for his service as a member of the boardBoard. In June, 2022, Peter Sykes was appointed as the Preferred Director to replace Mr. Kraef.
Peter Sykes, 61, joined our Board in June 2022. Mr. Sykes is the principal of MEGlobal,Church Lane Advisory LLC, a joint venture betweencorporate advisory and strategic investing company he founded in October 2021. In July 2021, Mr. Sykes retired from Dow, after a 40-year career during which he held various leadership roles. For the first 13 years of his career, Mr. Sykes completed multiple assignments in International Finance and Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) of Kuwait. From 2007 to 2012, Mr. Kraef led various businesses including a more than $8 billion revenue business group consisting of Dow’s Polyurethanes,Treasury Management across Europe and