Vice President, Corporate General Counsel and Secretary

Howard joined the Company in February 2009 as Vice President, Corporate General Counsel and Secretary, succeeding Fran Rathke as the Company’s Secretary and becoming the Company’s first enterprise-wide General Counsel. Howard brings considerable experience in leading a public company law department, advising senior management and partnering with a public company’s board of directors.

Previously, Howard was Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, a global manufacturer and distributor of chewing gum and confectionery products, as well as a member of Wrigley’s Executive Leadership Team. Howard was also Wrigley’s first General Counsel and oversaw the growth of that law department during his tenure, instilling a “business partnership” culture for the in-house lawyers. Prior to Wrigley, Howard served in senior positions in the law departments of two other public companies – Outboard Marine Corporation and NCR Corporation.

Howard holds a B.A. Degree from The Ohio State University, an M.B.A. degree from the University of Dayton, and a J.D. degree from the University of Toledo School of Law.