Claire's Stores Inc.

Nationality: American. Education: City College of New York, BA, 1971. Family: Married Connie (maiden name unknown); children: two. Career: Gimbel's East, 1971–1973, assistant buyer; 1973–1976, buyer; Bamberger's Department Store, 1976–1984, buyer, then held various merchandising positions; 1984–1988, senior vice president and general merchandise manager; Macy's Northeast, 1988–1989, group senior vice president; Macy's South/Bullock's, 1989–1990, group senior vice president; May Department Stores Company, 1990–1992, president and CEO of G. Fox division; 1992–1996, president and CEO of Filene's division; 1996–1997, vice chairman; 1997–1998, executive vice chairman; 1998–, president, CEO and chairman. Awards: Named one of America's Most Powerful People, Forbes, 2001. Address: 611 Olive Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63101; http://www2.mayco.com/common/index.jsp. Eugene Kahn, a longtime veteran of the retailing industry, rose through the ranks of several department store chains to head the May Department Stores Company. May was a multimillion-dollar retail chain that owned more than four hundred department stores as well as over 180 David's Bridal wedding stores in the early 2000s. The company's divisions included Lord & Taylor, Hecht's, Filene's, and Strawbridge's. Kahn succeeded the retail pioneer David Farrell as chairman and CEO of May in the late 1990s as the company was beginning to lose its leadership of the retail industry. Kahn launched an aggressive campaign designed to reach new customers and restore the company to its former market share. He was regarded within the industry as an intelligent and hard-working retailer who was not afraid to take risks. Career Beginnings Kahn began his retailing career in 1971 as an assistant buyer at Gimbel's Department Store in New York. He then moved to Bamberger's (formerly a division of Macy's) in New Jersey, where he eventually rose to the positions of senior vice president and general merchandise manager. In 1988 he became group senior vice president for the consolidated Macy's Northeast division and, a year later, group senior vice president for Macy's South/Bullock's. He joined the May Department Stores Company in 1990 as president and CEO of the G. Fox department store division in Hartford, Connecticut and went on to become president and CEO of Filene's, the company's Boston-based division. Kahn then helped oversee the merger between G. Fox and Filene's in the early 1990s. He was named vice chairman of May, elected to its board of directors, and transferred to its St. Louis headquarters in 1996. He leveraged his years of retail experience into higher positions within the company. In 1997 he was promoted to executive vice chairman and, in 1998, became the company's president and CEO.

Starting as a Graduate Trainee in 1987 with K Shoe Shops Limited, Kenny moved to the Burton Group as Merchandiser for the Top Shop brand. Kenny then joined Levi's in 1990 as a Planning Manager, and was promoted frequently across various retail functions, culminating in 2005 when he assumed his present responsibilities. He successfully transformed and grew the European Division of the Levi's business and opened in excess of 250 new stores during his tenure.

Mr. Smith has been Managing Director and President for European Operations at Claire's Stores Inc., a Tri-Artisan portfolio company, since the May 2007 buy-out. Mr. Smith served as Chief Executive of Claire's Accessories UK Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Claire's Stores Inc. from February 1996 to May 2002. He Co-Founded one of the predecessors to Claire's U.K. business and successfully led the European operations of Claire's from 1996 to 2002. Since September 1986 to Claire's Stores Inc.'s acquisition of Bow Bangles PLC in February 1996, Mr. Smith served as the Chief Executive of Bow Bangles PLC. Mr. Smith has 25 years of experience in the retail industry.

Bonnie Schaefer (49) began her career with Claire's in 1987 working as a Sales Associate at one of Claire's Stores mall-based stores and progressing to Store Manager. She left the Company to assume a job with HL Yoh, a subcontractor of IBM, and re-joined Claire's Stores in 1990. In 1994, Bonnie was named Vice President of Real Estate at Claire's Boutiques. She joined the Board of Directors in 1998 and became Co-Vice-Chairman of the Board in January 1999. She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Claire's Nippon, a joint venture between Claire's Stores and AEON Corporation, Ltd., a $20 billion specialty retailer. For the past ten years, Bonnie has overseen the development of Claire's Southeastern U.S., Puerto Rican and Caribbean operations. In addition, she has been active in store and field operations and in the management of real estate operations throughout North America. As a member of the Boards of Directors of Claire's France, Switzerland and United Kingdom corporations, Bonnie is also actively involved in the Company's international expansion. She intends to continue carrying out those activities in addition to the responsibilities she is temporarily assuming.

Ms. Goss has served as a Director of Ocwen since July 2005. Ms. Goss has served as Chief Operating and Financial Officer of Amwell Holdings, LLC and Hopewell Holdings LLC since 2003. She previously served as Chief Financial Officer for The Capital Markets Company, a provider of e-based solutions to the global financial services and capital markets industry, and for Booz Allen & Hamilton Inc., a management consulting firm. Ms. Goss has held various senior executive positions with Prudential Insurance Company of America and Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. Ms. Goss currently serves on the boards of American Water, Channel Reinsurance Holding, Ltd., Neuberger Berman Mutual Funds Company, Parsons-Brinckerhoff and Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York. She has previously served on the board of Claire's Stores, Inc., Foster Wheeler Ltd., Dexter Corporation, IBJ Whitehall Business Credit Corporation, Bank Leumi, USA, the Metropolitan Regional Advisory Board of Chase Manhattan Bank, and the Advisory Boards of Attensity and the McLean Group as well as the boards of various subsidiaries of The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Ms. Goss holds a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard University.

Peter P. Copses became Chairman of the Company s board of directors in May 2007. Mr. Copses is a Founding Partner of Apollo Management, L.P. and its investment affiliates, where he has worked since 1990. Prior to joining Apollo, Mr. Copses was an investment banker at Drexel Burnham Lambert, and subsequently at Donaldson, Lufkin, & Jenrette Securities, primarily concentrating on the structuring, financing and negotiation of mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Copses is also a director of Rent-A-Center, Inc., the nation s largest operator of rent-to-own stores, RBC Global, Inc., a diversified, multi-platform industrial company, and Linens n Things, Inc., a national retailer of home textiles, housewares and home accessories.

Lance A. Milken became a member of the Company s board of directors in May 2007. Mr. Milken is a Principal at Apollo Management, L.P., where he has worked since 1998. Mr. Milken also serves as a member of the Milken Institute board of trustees.

Marla Schaefer (53) began her career with Claire's in 1981 as an Executive Assistant to Rowland Schaefer. She soon became involved in merchandising, and was named as Resident Buyer for the New York office in 1986. In 1990 she was appointed to the position of Vice President of Fashion Merchandising of Claire's Boutiques, and has been instrumental in developing Claire's overseas buying program. In March 1998, she was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and in April of that same year she became Senior Vice President of Claire's Boutiques. In April 2002, Marla Schaefer was appointed Secretary of Claire's Stores, Inc. Marla has been actively involved in new business development, marketing and development of the Company's internet strategy as well as oversight of investor relations and human resources. She intends to continue carrying out those activities in addition to the responsibilities she is temporarily assuming.