"It has always been my vision to create a culture based on bringing together the most accomplished, creative and intelligent individuals to help Clipper realize its goals. Our distinguished Board of Advisors is a reflection of that vision."
Lina Hu
Founder, Chairman & CEO
Clipper Corporation
President and Chief Executive Officer, SM&A
Cathy L. McCarthy currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of SM&A. Ms McCarthy became an officer of the Company in November 2001 and served as President and COO from February 2006 to July 2007. Ms. McCarthy served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary from September 2001 until February 2006. Prior to entering into her Employment Agreement with the Company in 2001, Ms McCarthy served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of PIA Merchandising, Inc., and as the Chief Financial Officer of The Giant Group, Inc., and in various capacities at Wherehouse Entertainment, Inc, including Chief Financial Officer. Ms. McCarthy started her career at Mellon Bank, N.A. where she served in various capacities over 18 years including Vice President of the High Leveraged Transaction Group and Vice President and Account Executive for major Retail and Consumer Product Fortune 500 and Middle Market companies. Ms. McCarthy currently serves on the board of directors, audit and compensation committee of Thermage, Inc. and as a member of the board of directors of Operation HomeFront, a non-profit organization. Ms.McCarthy attended Robert Morris College majoring in finance and accounting, the University Of Wisconsin School Of Banking at Madison and the Carnegie Mellon University Executive Finance & Accounting Program.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Middleby Corporation
Selim A. Bassoul is Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of The Middleby Corporation, a leading developer and manufacturer of commercial cooking equipment and food processing/packaging equipment. Mr. Bassoul is responsible for the strategic direction of the company and leading the senior management team.
Mr. Bassoul has lead The Middleby Corporation to be one of the best performing public companies over the past several years. Mr. Bassoul joined The Middleby Corporation in 1996 as President of the company's Southbend division. He became Chief Operating Officer of The Middleby Corporation in 1999 and was named Chief Executive in 2000 and Chairman of the Board in 2004. Under his leadership the company has added a dozen acquisitions to grow Middleby's presence to a market leader in the industries they serve and quadruple company sales in a five year period.
Prior to joining The Middleby Corporation Mr. Bassoul worked for eight years in commercial food equipment for Premark, Inc., a unit of Illinois Tool Works, as Director of Marketing, General Manager of the Cook-Chill division and Vice President of Sales for the Vulcan Cooking Division. Before entering the foodservice industry, Mr. Bassoul worked in the healthcare industry for eight years for American Hospital Supply and Baxter Healthcare in various positions including mergers and acquisitions, corporate planning and regional director in the Middle East and Africa.
Mr. Bassoul started his career at Ernst & Young in the Middle East and then moved to the United States to continue his postgraduate education at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management where he earned his M.B.A. in finance and marketing and a certificate in Accounting. Before coming to the U.S. Mr. Bassoul attended the American University of Beirut where he received a B.A. in Business Administration with Distinction and was the recipient of the David Dodge Scholar Award. Through high school he was educated by the Jesuits at Notre Dame de Jamhour in Beirut. Mr. Bassoul remained committed to excelling while a civil war was raging in his country, Lebanon.
Mr. Bassoul has been the recipient of many honors including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the YPO International Legacy Award. Outside his career, his achievements include Contributing Editor, Journal of Business Strategy, speaker on global marketing at the Conference Board, developer of the Riskette financial modeling system, and Exsys software for international distribution. Mr. Bassoul is a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of the Holy Spirit University Foundation. He is a current member of the Board of Directors of New Piper Aircraft and Confluence Watermark.