Board of Directors

Gary Hendrickson, a director since May 2017, is the Chairperson of our board of directors, a position he has held since May 2017. Mr. Hendrickson previously served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Valspar Corporation, a global paint and coatings manufacturer, from June 2011 to June 2017, and was its President and Chief Operating Officer from February 2008 until June 2011. Mr. Hendrickson held various executive leadership roles with the Valspar Corporation from 2001 until 2017, including positions with responsibilities for the Asia Pacific operations. Mr. Hendrickson also serves as a director of Polaris Industries Inc., a publicly traded global manufacturer and seller of off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles and served as a director of Waters Corporation, a leading specialty measurement company and pioneer of chromatography, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials and food sciences, from 2018 to 2022. Mr. Hendrickson’s experience as President and Chief Executive Officer of a global company provides expertise in corporate leadership and development and execution of business growth strategy. He also brings to the board of directors significant global experience and knowledge of competitive strategy.

esse Singh, a director since he joined us in June 2016, is our Chief Executive Officer and President. Prior to joining us, Mr. Singh worked for 14 years at the 3M Company, a manufacturer and marketer of a range of products and services through its safety & industrial, transportation & electronics, health care and consumer segments, and served in numerous leadership roles at 3M, including Chief Commercial Officer, President of 3M’s Health Information Systems business and VP of the Stationery and Office supplies business, which included the iconic Post-it and Scotch Brands. During his career at 3M, Mr. Singh was involved in running 3M’s worldwide, customer-facing operations, which was comprised of approximately 4,000 shared services, 12,000 sales and 5,000 marketing professionals. He also served as CEO of 3M’s joint venture in Japan and led 3M’s global electronics materials business. Mr. Singh currently serves on the board and as a member of the audit and compensation committees of Carlisle Companies Incorporated. Mr. Singh brings to our board of directors extensive senior leadership experience and a comprehensive knowledge of our business and perspective of our day-to-day operations.

Sallie B. Bailey, a director since November 2018, previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, a leading manufacturer of engineered wood building products for residential, industrial and light commercial construction, from December 2011 to July 2018. Prior to working for Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, Ms. Bailey worked as the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ferro Corporation, a global specialty materials company, from January 2007 to July 2010 following an eleven-year career at The Timken Company, a global producer of engineered bearings and alloy steel, in various senior management positions of increasing responsibility, lastly as Senior Vice President, Finance and Controller between 2003 and 2006. Ms. Bailey also currently serves as a director of L3 Harris Technologies, Inc., a technology company, defense contractor and information technology services provider, and NVR, Inc., a homebuilding and mortgage banking company. Ms. Bailey brings to our board of directors a broad knowledge of corporate finance, strategic planning, banking relationships, operations, complex information technology and other systems, enterprise risk management and investor relations gained through prior service as a senior executive of large global manufacturing companies, including as Chief Financial Officer, and she also has knowledge of and experience with complex financial and accounting functions and internal controls.

Fumbi Chima, a director since November 2020, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at BECU, a Washington-based community credit union, and has served in that role since October 2020. Ms. Chima previously served in leadership roles at various companies in the retail and financial sectors, including as Chief Information officer at adidas AG from 2019 to 2020, as Chief Information Officer at FOX Networks Group from 2017 to 2019, as Chief Information Officer at Burberry Group plc from 2015 to 2017, as Chief Information Officer, Asia at Walmart Inc. from 2014 to 2015 and as Vice President of Corporate Systems at American Express Co. from 2006 to 2010. As Chief Information Officer of adidas AG, Ms. Chima developed mentoring opportunities for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). From 2015 to 2018, Ms. Chima served on the board of Global Sources Ltd., a Bermuda business-to-business media company with a focus on the Greater China market. Currently, she serves on the boards for Whitbread PLC and Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company, holds advisory roles for SAP Executive Advisory and Apptio EMEA Advisory and is on the board of Women at Risk International Foundation. Ms. Chima served on the board of Africa Prudential Plc from 2018 to 2020 and on the board of Ted Baker plc from 2021 to 2022. Ms. Chima’s decades of leadership and technology experience in the retail and financial sectors, as well as her showcased dedication to diversity, women’s employment and inclusion, led us to the conclusion that she should continue to serve as a director on our board.

Howard Heckes, a director since November 2020, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Masonite International Corporation and has served in that role since June 2019. From 2017 to 2019, Mr. Heckes served as Chief Executive Officer of Energy Management Collaborative, a privately held company providing LED lighting and controls and IoT conversion systems and service solutions based in Plymouth, Minnesota. Previously, Mr. Heckes served in various senior operations roles at The Valspar Corporation, including as Executive Vice President and President of Global Coatings from 2014 to 2017 and as Senior Vice President, Global Consumer from 2008 to 2014. Prior to joining Valspar, Mr. Heckes held various leadership roles at Newell Rubbermaid, including President of Sanford Brands and President of Graco Children’s Products. Mr. Heckes currently serves on the board of directors of Masonite International Corporation. Mr. Heckes holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University and an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Iowa. We believe that Mr. Heckes brings to our board of directors extensive experience in corporate leadership, the development and execution of business growth strategies and significant consumer brand and business operating experience.

Natasha Li, a director since November 2021, is a Partner in the Private Equity Group of Ares Management Corporation, where she has served as an investment professional since 2010, and also from 2007 to 2008. From 2008 to 2010, Ms. Li served as an associate in the Ares Credit Group. Ms. Li was an Associate in the Ares Private Equity Group in Los Angeles. Ms. Li also serves on the boards of City Ventures LLC and the parent entity of Resource Label Group, and the KCRW Foundation and previously served on the boards of National Veterinary Associates, Inc. and Jacuzzi Brands Corporation. Ms. Li holds a B.S., cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvani Wharton School of Economics. Ms. Li brings to our board over fourteen years of experience managing and evaluating investments by the Ares Private Equity Group and Ares Credit Group, and she has assisted and advised the Company in various capacities since 2018 as a representative of the Ares Private Equity Group. Ms. Li’s deep understanding of the Company’s history and its business has led the board to conclude that she will be an invaluable member.

Vernon J. Nagel, a director since November 2021, is a seasoned executive having provided products and services to the residential and non-residential construction markets while he served as the executive chairman of the board of directors of Acuity Brands, Inc., or Acuity Brands, from February 2020 to the end of 2020, and, previously, as Acuity Brands’ chairman and chief executive officer from September 2004 to January 2020, as Acuity Brands’ president from August 2005 to August 2019, as Acuity Brands’ vice chairman and chief financial officer from January 2004 to August 2004 and as Acuity Brands’ executive vice president and chief financial officer from December 2001 to January 2004. While at Acuity Brands, Mr. Nagel focused on enhancing shareholder value by introducing new technologies, expanding markets served through organic growth and acquisitions and driving company-wide productivity. Mr. Nagel received a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). For the foregoing reasons, we believe that Mr. Nagel is and will continue to be a strong contributor to our ability to achieve its strategic and operational goals.

Ashfaq Qadri, a director since February 2019, is a Managing Director within the Equities Division at OTPP. Mr. Qadri joined OTPP in 2016 and has significant experience in private equity and investment banking. In his current role, he is responsible for execution and portfolio management for OTPP’s direct private equity investments in the industrials sector. He currently serves on the board of multiple OTPP portfolio companies, including Trivium Packaging B.V., TricorBraun Holdings, Inc and GPA Global. Prior to joining OTPP, Mr. Qadri was a Vice President at Morgan Stanley Private Equity from 2012 to 2014, with roles based in both New York and London. He also previously worked in Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking division in New York. Mr. Qadri has an in-depth understanding of our business and has years of experience managing and evaluating investments in companies operating in various industries, including in the industrial and energy sectors. His understanding of our business and broad experience led us to conclude that he should serve as a director on our board.

Bennett Rosenthal, a director since 2013, is a Co-Founder, Director and Partner of Ares Management Corporation and Co-Chairman of the Ares Private Equity Group. He is a member of the Ares Executive Management Committee and the Ares Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. Mr. Rosenthal additionally serves as the Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ares Capital Corporation. Mr. Rosenthal also is a member of the Ares Private Equity Group’s Corporate Opportunities and Special Opportunities Investment Committees and the Ares Sports, Media and Entertainment Investment Committee. Mr. Rosenthal joined Ares in 1998 from Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. where he served as a Managing Director in the Global Leveraged Finance Group. He currently serves on the boards of directors of City Ventures, LLC and the parent entities of TAG (the Aspen Group), CHG Healthcare Holdings L.P., Duly Health and Care, LaserAway, Press Ganey Associates, Inc., TricorBraun and Unified Women’s Healthcare. Mr. Rosenthal’s previous board of directors experience includes Dawn Holdings, Inc., Hangar, Inc., Jacuzzi Brands Corporation, Maidenform Brands, Inc., National Veterinary Associates, Inc., Nortek, Inc. and other private companies. Since 2016, Mr. Rosenthal has served as a Co-Managing Owner and Director of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). Mr. Rosenthal also currently serves as Chair of the Graduate Executive Board at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and as Chairman of the LAFC Foundation. Mr. Rosenthal graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business where he also received his M.B.A. with distinction. We believe that Mr. Rosenthal’s extensive experience in the financial industry as well as the management of private equity in particular and his experience as a director of other public and private companies give the board of directors valuable insight.

Brian Spaly, a director since August 2020, is a General Partner at Brand Foundry Ventures. Mr. Spaly served as Chairman of Tecovas, Inc. from 2017 to 2022, and is the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Trunk Club, a personal styling startup focused on making it easy for men and women to discover and acquire stylish clothing without the hassles of the traditional shopping experience. Mr. Spaly led Trunk Club during its acquisition in August 2014. From 2006 to 2009, Mr. Spaly was the founder of Bonobos, a men’s clothing company, which was acquired in July 2017. From June 2018 to September 2021, he served as a member of the board of directors of Deckers Brands, a global portfolio of footwear brands such as UGG, Hoka, Teva and Sanuk. In addition to serving on the board of directors of Tecovas, Inc., Mr. Spaly currently serves on the boards of several other early-stage growth companies. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Princeton University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. We believe that Mr. Spaly’s experience leading high-growth companies as CEO and public companies as a board member, along with his proven digital and direct marketing experience, will continue to benefit AZEK as we continue to focus on growing our business and further differentiating our leading product offering.