THE BOYDS COLLECTION NAMES JAN L. MURLEY CEO
AND DIRECTOR
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, October 21,
2003 -- The Boyds Collection, Ltd.
(NYSE:FOB) today appointed Jan L. Murley as
its new Chief Executive Officer and to its Board
of Directors. Ms. Murley, age 52, previously
spent three years as group vice president for
Hallmark Cards, the world's largest publisher
of greeting cards and related gifts, which she
joined following a more than 20-year tenure
at Procter & Gamble.
“We are very fortunate to welcome Jan
Murley, a veteran executive, to Boyds. Her experience
in marketing consumer brands and knowledge of
retail, gained through distinguished positions
at two of the global leaders in the field, P&G
and Hallmark, make her the ideal person to lead
the company through its next phase,” said
Scott M. Stuart, a partner at Kohlberg Kravis
Roberts & Co. and a Director of Boyds. “We
would also like to thank Jean-André Rougeot
for his significant contributions to Boyds over
the past three years, including his leadership
in the creation of Boyds Bear CountryTM. We
wish him the best of luck in his future pursuits.”
Ms. Murley said, “The Boyds brand has
long been a leader in the gift and collectibles
marketplace due to its uniquely whimsical products.
While the retail environment has been difficult
in recent years, I firmly believe that the enormous
appeal of the Boyds brand and the significant
design and production talent that exists within
the company are the ingredients for significant
sales and earnings growth over the long term.
I look forward to being a part of this special
company and working to maximize the potential
of this outstanding brand.”
Ms. Murley joined Hallmark in September 1999
as group vice president. She had responsibility
for North American greetings, gifts and celebrations,
and gold crown retail network businesses. In
addition, she had responsibility for marketing
services, strategic planning, new business development
and corporate brand management. She resigned
from the company in 2002. Prior to joining Hallmark,
Ms. Murley was a vice president with Procter
& Gamble. During her career at P&G,
she held a number of marketing and general management
positions in four consumer industries: food
and beverage, laundry, household cleaning and
beauty care. She currently serves as a director
of The Clorox Company. Ms. Murley earned a bachelor's
degree from Northwestern University and a master's
in marketing and finance from Northwestern's
Kellogg School of Management.
The Boyds Collection, Ltd. is a leading domestic
designer, importer, and distributor of high-quality,
branded giftware products. The company sells
its products through a large and diverse network
comprised of independent gift and collectibles
retailers, premier department stores, selected
catalogue retailers and other electronic and
retail channels. More recently, the company
launched its first retail operation, Boyds Bear
CountryTM, a unique entertainment and retail
experience in Gettysburg. Founded in 1979, it
has successfully developed a strong niche and
brand identity in its markets because of its
affordably priced, high quality, “Folksy
With AttitudeSM” products.
Contacts:
The Boyds Collection, Ltd.
Joseph E. Macharsky,
Chief Financial Officer
717-633-9898 x2151
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