– USA, IN – Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRA), today announced the nomination of Nancy Twine, seasoned financial executive, and Founder and CEO of Briogeo Hair Care, to join its Board of Directors. Twine will replace director Michael Miller upon his retirement from the Vera Bradley, Inc. Board in June 2021, and with this appointment, the Company will have 60% female board representation and be one of just a few public companies with a female majority board.
“We are thrilled that Nancy Twine is joining the Vera Bradley, Inc. Board. Nancy’s entrepreneurial and retail experience and insight, along with her strong financial background, millennial perspective, and diverse background, will be invaluable as we continue to execute our vision of expanding our purpose-driven, multi-lifestyle-brand, high-growth company,” said CEO, Rob Wallstrom.
He added, “Fundamentals and values that are important to Nancy and her company, like the environment, positivity, individuality, diversity, community, ingenuity, and tenacity, are all things that are also essential to the mission and values of Vera Bradley and Pura Vida. So, I think Nancy and Vera Bradley, Inc. will be a perfect fit.”
Nancy Twine will join the nine other board members:
- Robert Wallstrom, CEO;
- Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, Co-Founder of Vera Bradley;
- Kristina Cashman, former CFO of restaurant group Upward Projects;
- Robert Hall, Board Chairman, Vera Bradley, and President of Green Gables Partners;
- Mary Lou Kelley, former President, E-Commerce for Best Buy;
- John Kyees, Lead Director and former CFO of Urban Outfitters, Inc.;
- Frances Philip, former Chief Merchandising Officer of L.L. Bean, Inc.;
- Edward Schmults, CEO of Calyx Peak Companies;
- Carrie Tharp, VP, Retail and Consumer for Google Cloud.
Rob Wallstrom concluded, “I want to especially thank Mike Miller, who is retiring from our board in June. Mike has been an invaluable board member since the Company went public in 2010, and an integral part of the Vera Bradley family since his wife, Patricia R. Miller, co-founded the Company nearly 40 years ago. He has made an enduring impact on Vera Bradley, and we are very grateful for his guidance and wise counsel over the years.”
About Nancy Twine
In 2014, Twine departed her position as VP, Commodities Sales and Trading at Goldman Sachs in New York City to officially launch Briogeo Hair Care: a line of carefully crafted, clean hair care that offers effective solutions for persons with every hair type, hair texture, and ethnicity. Growing up, Twine learned to create simple, clean, homemade beauty products alongside her mother in their home kitchen, using naturally nourishing ingredients from the local health food store. These fond childhood memories, coupled with her own beauty industry research, made Twine realize she wanted to make an impact on the natural beauty world.
Today, Briogeo retails in over three thousand prestige beauty stores globally, is one of the fastest-growing hair care brands at Sephora, and is one of the largest, independent Black-owned prestige beauty brands in the U.S. The brand focuses on personalized, healthy hair routines that celebrate diversity and has received numerous accolades for its innovative “6-free” formulas (NO harsh sulfates, silicones, phthalates, parabens, DEA + artificial dyes). All Briogeo products are also cruelty-free, gluten-free, and mostly vegan.
In addition to serving as CEO and Chairwoman of the Board of Briogeo Hair Care, Twine is an Advisor to the Sephora USA Accelerate Council.
About Vera Bradley
Vera Bradley, Inc. operates two unique lifestyle brands – Vera Bradley and Pura Vida. Vera Bradley and Pura Vida are complementary businesses, both with devoted, emotionally-connected, and multi-generational female customer bases; alignment as causal, comfortable, affordable, and fun brands; positioning as “gifting” and socially-connected brands; strong, entrepreneurial cultures; a keen focus on community, charity, and social consciousness; multi-channel distribution strategies; and talented leadership teams aligned and committed to the long-term success of their brands.
Vera Bradley, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a leading designer of women’s handbags, luggage and other travel items, fashion and home accessories, and unique gifts. Founded in 1982 by friends Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, the brand is known for its innovative designs, iconic patterns, and brilliant colors that inspire and connect women, unlike any other brand in the global marketplace.
In July 2019, Vera Bradley, Inc. acquired a 75% interest in Creative Genius, Inc., which also operates under the name Pura Vida Bracelets. Pura Vida, based in La Jolla, California, is a rapidly growing, digitally native, and highly engaging lifestyle brand founded in 2010 by friends Paul Goodman and Griffin Thall. Pura Vida has a differentiated and expanding offering of bracelets, jewelry, and other lifestyle accessories.
The Company has three reportable segments: Vera Bradley Direct, Vera Bradley Indirect, and Pura Vida. The VB Direct business consists of sales of Vera Bradley products through Vera Bradley’s full-line and factory outlet stores in the United States, verabradley.com, the Vera Bradley online outlet site, and the Vera Bradley annual outlet sale in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The VB Indirect business consists of sales of Vera Bradley products to approximately 2,000 specialty retail locations throughout the United States, as well as select department stores, national accounts, third-party e-commerce sites, and third-party inventory liquidators, and royalties recognized through licensing agreements related to the Vera Bradley brand.
For more information: https://verabradley.com/
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