Continental Materials Corp.

Ron also serves as the Chairman of the Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth & Prosperity (www.jobsillinois.us), a coalition of employers representing more than 1 million workers. The non-partisan group's mission is to secure the future of Illinois by educating, informing and activating the public, stakeholders and elected officials to develop, promote and implement a stable pro-job, pro-growth, pro-investment climate in Illinois. He is a co-founder of GCG Partners, assuming an active role as a partner in September 1998. He shares responsibility for overall management of the partnership. Prior to becoming active in GCG Partners, Ron was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Unilever HPC Helene Curtis Business Unit from 1996 to 1998. Previously, Mr. Gidwitz served as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors of Helene Curtis, a Fortune 500 consumer products company. He had served as President since 1979 and assumed the post of Chief Executive Officer in July 1985. Before being appointed President, he held a number of positions within the company, with responsibilities ranging from sales to manufacturing. After taking the helm of Helene Curtis in 1979, revenues increased sevenfold to more than $1.2 billion before its acquisition by Unilever in 1996. Prior to joining Helene Curtis in 1968, Ron was Assistant to the Vice President at Walter E. Heller & Co., a former national financial services company headquartered in Chicago. He also serves as Director on the Boards of Continental Materials Corporation, Prairie Packaging and SEI Technologies. Ron is active in the Chicago business and arts communities. He was named Crain's Chicago Business Executive of the Year in 1988. He is former Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education and a member of the Chicago Central Area Committee. He is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Field Museum of Natural History. He is a member of the Board of Trustees/Directors for Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, the Museum of Science and Industry, Steppenwolf Theatre, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. He also serves as Governor of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Additionally, he has served as Chairman of the Economic Development Commission of the City of Chicago, the Board of Trustees of the City Colleges of Chicago, and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.