Jones Apparel Group Inc announced that Frits D. van Paasschen has been elected to the Jones Apparel Group Inc Board of Directors. He will join the Board on November 30, 2006.
Mr. van Paasschen brings with him outstanding credentials grounded in management consulting and firsthand experience with establishing and building brands in developing markets around the world.
Mr. van Paasschen has over 20 years experience in retail, operations and supply chain, consumer marketing and finance.
Beginning in 1983 Mr. van Paasschen held various management positions with Boston Consulting Group, First Call Corporation, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and McKinsey & Company.
He left McKinsey & Company in 1995 to join Disney Consumer Products as Vice President, Finance and Planning.
In 1998 Mr. van Paasschen became Vice President, Global Strategic Planning for Nike. He held several senior positions with Nike, and from 2000 to 2004 served as Corporate Vice President/General Manager Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Mr. van Paasschen is President and Chief Executive Officer of Coors Brewing Company. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Oakley, a worldwide leader in performance optics, serving on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
Peter Boneparth, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "On behalf of the Jones Apparel Group Board of Directors and the entire management team, I want to welcome Frits van Paasschen. He is a proven leader with an accomplished and notable career. We welcome his guidance and contributions to the Company."
Including Mr. van Paasschen, eight of the eleven Directors are deemed to be independent directors under the Company's Director Independence Standards, which appear on the Company's website.