Supremex Names New CFO, Independent Board Nominations, CEO Estate Planning

Supremex Inc., Montreal, Que., Canada, a manufacturer and marketer of envelopes and a growing provider of packaging and specialty products, this week announced the appointment of Guy Prenevost as CFO and corporate secretary, effective April 16, 2018, and the nomination of Nicole Boivin and Steven P. Richardson as independent directors upon their election at the company's upcoming Annual General Meeting to be held on May 9, 2018. The company also announced that Stewart Emerson, president and CEO of Supremex, has informed the Supremex Board of Directors of his intention to sell 210,000 common shares held since 2006 for estate planning purposes. 

CFO Prenevost is a highly accomplished financial executive with more than 20 years of diversified experience in finance, sales, and operations. He was most recently CFO of Rolland Enterprises Inc. and previously held various finance positions at Cascades Inc.'s Tissue Paper Products Division, including director of administration and finance from 2007 to 2016. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Cascades USA Inc. and Best Diamond Packaging. He holds the CPA, CMA designation, earned his MBA from the Lally School of Management & Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., USA, holds a B.A. degree from the University of Alberta and a bachelor degree in accounting science from the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières.

"I am very pleased to welcome Guy Prenevost to the role of CFO. His vast industry experience, deep financial expertise, and operational background will quickly contribute as we continue diversifying our business and accelerating the growth of packaging products," said Stewart Emerson, president and CEO of Supremex. "I would also like to thank Lyne Bégin, who acted as Interim VP of finance, for her unwavering dedication and commitment."

Mathieu Gauvin will not be standing for re-election due to his recent appointment at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Gauvin is the longest serving board member of Supremex, having served most recently from 2011 until present. Commenting on Gauvin's decision not to stand for re-election, Robert B. Johnston, chairman of the board, said that "Mathieu has played an integral role in the development of Supremex and served steadfastly as chairman of the Audit Committee. We wish him continued success in his role at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec." 

The board of directors has nominated two new independent directors to join the board upon confirmation at the upcoming Annual General Meeting to be held on May 9 in Montreal. Nicole Boivin and Steven P. Richardson have been nominated for election along with all current directors other than Gauvin. 

"We are pleased to welcome two new highly experienced independent directors to the board of Supremex. Their depth of expertise and corporate governance experience will further strengthen the board and help support our dedicated management team as we continue executing our growth and diversification strategy," said Johnston. 

Boivin is a strategic advisor to boards and executives dealing with disruption, emerging technologies, M&A, and changes in strategy. From 1999 to 2014, she held various executive positions with Manulife as the global chief branding and communications officer and the SVP, human resources and communication for the Canadian division. She earned her MBA from Laurentian University and holds the ICD.D designation. Boivin currently serves on the boards of RES PUBLICA Capital and Brampton Distribution Holdco and previously served on the boards of Ontario Power Generation, Pathways to Education, and Harbourfront Centre.  

Steven P. Richardson is a corporate director and former CFO and director of the Hudson's Bay Co. He previously held the position of CFO at Wells Fargo Financial Canada and CFO and director at Associates Financial Services of Canada and Beneficial Canada Inc. He holds the CPA, CMA designation, obtained his B.A. degree in economics and commerce with Honors from the University of Toronto, completed the Senior Executive Leadership Program at Columbia University and holds the ICD.D designation. Richardson is currently a director of Parkland Fuel Corp. and was a director of RONA Inc., Sterling Shoes, and easyhome Ltd. 

Supremex President & CEO Emerson informed the board of directors of his intention to sell, over the next 12 months, all of the 210,000 common shares of Supremex he currently owns since 2006, for financial diversification and estate planning purposes. These shares were received by Emerson in the context of the company's initial public offering in 2006, when he exchanged compensation for units of the income trust.  Following the income trust's conversion to a corporation in 2011, these units were converted into common shares of the company. Emerson currently holds 29,993 deferred share units and, as a member of the board of directors, intends to meet the company's Minimum Ownership Guidelines. 

Supremex will hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. at  Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. During the event, management will provide a review of 2017 achievements and discuss its plan to continue strengthening Supremex's position as a leading North American manufacturer of envelopes, packaging, and specialty products. 

More information about Supremex is available online.