Exhibit 99.1
Local Bounti Chief Financial Officer Kathleen Valiasek Promoted to President and CFO
Added Role of President Reflects Ms. Valiasek’s Impact on Improved Operating Efficiency
HAMILTON, Mont., June 25, 2024 – Local Bounti Corporation (NYSE: LOCL) (“Local Bounti” or the “Company”), a breakthrough U.S. indoor agriculture company, announced today that its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Kathleen Valiasek, has been promoted to President and Chief Financial Officer, effective June 24.
“Since Kathy joined our leadership team over three years ago, her contributions have been extensive, reaching far beyond that of her role as CFO. This appointment recognizes her expanded influence, responsibilities and unwavering commitment to scaling up our business,” commented Craig Hurlbert, CEO of Local Bounti. “Kathy has been instrumental in driving operational efficiencies across our network of growing facilities, building trust with large commercial customers, and developing key financing relationships to advance our capacity expansion efforts. Together, we look forward to leading our organization through our next phase of growth and toward our near-term goal of achieving positive adjusted EBITDA* in early 2025.”
In her new role as President and CFO, Ms. Valiasek will take on additional responsibilities including expanded oversight of the Company’s operations, innovation, commercial and marketing activities, while retaining her existing leadership of the financial organization, among others. She will continue to report directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Craig Hurlbert, who will maintain his position of leadership and continue supporting the advancement of the Company’s strategic growth plan.
Ms. Valiasek has served as Local Bounti’s Chief Financial Officer since April 2021. Previously, Ms. Valiasek served as Chief Financial Officer from January 2017 to June 2019 and Chief Business Officer from June 2019 to March 2021 at Amyris, a science and technology leader in the research, development and production of sustainable ingredients for the clean health and beauty and flavors and fragrances markets. Prior to Amyris, Ms. Valiasek served as Chief Executive Officer of Lenox Group, Inc., a finance and strategic consulting firm she founded in 1994, and, in this capacity, she worked closely with the senior management teams of fast-growing companies including start-ups, venture-backed, and Fortune 500 companies such as Albertsons, CVS, Gap, Kaiser Permanente, and Softbank. Ms. Valiasek holds a B.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
*Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure defined as net loss before the impact of interest expense, depreciation, and amortization, and further adjusted to exclude certain other non-core items. See our earnings release for the first quarter of 2024 for more information and GAAP reconciliations.
About Local Bounti
Local Bounti is redefining indoor farming with an innovative method – its patented Stack & Flow Technology® – that significantly improves crop turns, increases output and improves unit economics. Local Bounti operates advanced indoor growing facilities across the United States, servicing approximately 13,000 retail doors. Local Bounti grows healthy food utilizing a hybrid approach that integrates the best attributes of controlled environment agriculture with natural elements. Local Bounti’s sustainable