Haymaker Acquisition Corp. 4
MANAGEMENT & BOARD
Executive Officers
Andrew R. Heyer, 65 [Resigned]
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman
Mr. Heyer is a finance professional with over 40 years of experience investing in the consumer and consumer-related products and services industries, as well as a senior banker in leveraged finance during which time his clients included many large private equity firms. Mr. Heyer served as President and Director of Haymaker III until it completed its business combination in May 2022 with biote. Since this business combination he has remained on the biote board of directors. Mr. Heyer served as President and Director of Haymaker II until it completed its business combination in December 2020 with GPM and ARKO (NASDAQ:ARKO), and has since remained on its board. Mr. Heyer was President and Director of Haymaker I until it completed its business combination with OneSpaWorld, in March 2019, and has since remained on its board. Currently, Mr. Heyer serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Mistral, a private equity fund manager founded in 2007 that invests in the consumer industry. Prior to founding Mistral in 2007, from 2000 to 2007, Mr. Heyer served as a Founding Managing Partner of Trimaran Capital Partners, a $1.3 billion private equity fund. Mr. Heyer was formerly a vice chairman of CIBC World Markets Corp. and a co-head of the CIBC Argosy Merchant Banking Funds from 1995 to 2001. Prior to joining CIBC World Markets Corp. in 1995, Mr. Heyer was a founder and Managing Director of The Argosy Group L.P. from 1990 to 1995. Before Argosy, from 1984 to 1990, Mr. Heyer was a Managing Director at Drexel Burnham Lambert Incorporated and, previous to that, he worked at Shearson/American Express. From 1993 through 2009, Mr. Heyer also served on the board of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., a natural and organic food and products company, rejoining the board from 2012 to 2019. Mr. Heyer also serves on the board of The Lovesac Company, Inc., a branded omni- channel retailer of technology-forward furniture, from 2010 to the present. Mr. Heyer also served on the board of several private companies owned in whole or in part by Mistral, including Worldwise, Inc., a pet accessories business from 2011 to 2021. Mr. Heyer has also served on the board of Insomnia Cookies, a retailer of desserts open primarily in the evening and nighttime. In the past, Mr. Heyer has served as a director of XpresSpa Group, Inc. from 2016 to 2019 (NASDAQ:XWEL), Las Vegas Sands Corp., a casino company, from 2006 to 2008, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc., a casual Mexican restaurant, from 2005 to 2008, and Reddy Ice Holdings, Inc., a manufacturer of packaged ice products, from 2003 to 2006. Mr. Heyer also serves on the board of directors of Coliseum Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ:MITA) (“MITA”), a blank check company which consummated its initial public offering of $150 million in June 2021 and is currently searching for an initial business combination target, and the board of directors of Tastemaker Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: TMKR) (“TMKR”), a blank check company which completed its $276 million initial public offering in January 2021 and is currently searching for an initial business combination target. From March 2021 until December 2022, he served on the board of AFAQ. Mr. Heyer was named as a defendant in three class action derivative stockholder actions, which were consolidated into one action, in connection with Hain Celestial Group filed in the Eastern District Court of New York in 2017, alleging, among other things, breach of fiduciary duty and violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 based on allegedly materially false or misleading statements and omissions in public statements, press releases and SEC filings. In November 2022, the assigned Magistrate issued a report and recommendation recommending dismissal with prejudice, to which plaintiffs filed objections and defendants countered. The case remains pending.
Steven J. Heyer, 70
President and Director
Mr. Heyer has over 35 years of experience in the consumer and consumer-related products and services industries, leading a range of companies and brands. Mr. Heyer has applied his experience and analytical skills in a variety of leadership positions across diverse industry groups, including broadcast media, consumer products, and hotel and leisure companies. Mr. Heyer formerly served as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of Haymaker III (NASDAQ: HYACU) until its business combination with biote in May 2022 (NASDAQ:BTMD). He now serves on the board of biote. Mr. Heyer served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Haymaker II until it completed its business combination in December 2020 with GPM and ARKO Holdings, which together merged under a new name, ARKO as part of the business combination, and has since remained on its board since such time thereafter serving on its board of directors as Director. Mr. Heyer was Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Haymaker I from its formation until it completed its business combination with OneSpaWorld (NASDAQ:OSW) in March 2019. Since its business combination, he has served as Vice Chairman on the board of directors of OneSpaWorld. Mr. Heyer’s operating experiences include: leading the turnaround of Outback Steakhouse as an advisor (from 2010 to 2012); as Chief Executive Officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (from 2004 until 2007); as President and Chief Operating Officer of The Coca-Cola Company (from 2001 to 2004); as a member of the boards of Coca-Cola FEMSA, and Coca-Cola Enterprises (all from 2001 to 2004); as President and Chief Operating Officer of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., and a member of AOL Time Warner’s Operating Committee (from 1994 to 2001); as President and Chief Operating Officer of Young & Rubicam Advertising Worldwide (from 1992 to 1994); and before that spending 15 years at Booz Allen & Hamilton, ultimately becoming Senior Vice President and Managing Partner. For the last five years, Mr. Heyer has served on the boards of Lazard Ltd, Lazard Group, and Atkins Nutritionals Inc. (each as further described below) as well as investing in a private capacity in early stage and venture consumer and consumer media companies. Mr. Heyer has extensive board experience, including: the board of Atkins Nutritionals Inc. until 2017, when it was acquired by Conyers Park Acquisition Corp, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company; Lazard Ltd and Lazard Group (2005 to present); the board of WPP Group, a publicly traded digital, internet, and traditional advertising company (2000 to 2004); the board of Equifax, the publicly traded consumer credit reporting and insights company (2002 through 2003); the board of Omnicare, Inc., a supplier of pharmaceutical care to the elderly (2008 through 2015); the board of Vitrue, Inc., a provider of social marketing publishing technologies (2007 through 2012); and the board of Internet Security Systems, Inc. a provider of internet security software, appliance, and services (2004 through 2005). In March 2011, Harry & David Holdings, Inc. (“Harry & David”), a company where Mr. Heyer had been Chief Executive Officer from 2010 until February 2011, filed a prearranged Chapter 11 plan under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Subsequently, Harry & David filed a reorganization plan in bankruptcy court in May 2011 and emerged from bankruptcy in September 2011. Mr. Heyer received his B.S. from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from New York University. Mr. Heyer is the brother of Mr. Andrew Heyer, our Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman.
Christopher Bradley, 45
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary and Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman
Mr. Bradley brings over 20 years of investing experience spanning venture capital, private equity, and public companies. Mr. Bradley is a Managing Director at Mistral Equity Partners, a consumer and retail private equity fund, where he has been since 2008, as well as a Strategic Advisor of Biote, Inc., a consumer healthcare company, where he has served since 2022. He also currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and a director of The Beacon Consumer Incubator Fund, a venture capital fund that invests in consumer technology companies, a role he has held since he founded the fund in 2016. He has also served as the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of TMKR since January 2021. He served as the Chief Financial Officer of Haymaker Acquisition Corp. III, a special purpose acquisition company, from March 2021 to May 2022, where he led the deal sourcing, negotiation, structuring, and diligence for this entity’s merger with Biote, Inc. (NASDAQ:BTMD), the nation’s largest wholesaler of customized hormone therapies. From 2019 until its business combination in December of 2020, Mr. Bradley served as the Chief Financial Officer of Haymaker Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company. As with Haymaker III, Mr. Bradley led the deal sourcing, negotiation, and structuring of Haymaker II’s merger with ARKO (NASDAQ:ARKO), the nation’s sixth largest chain of convenience stores. From 2017 until its business combination in March 2019, he served as the CFO of Haymaker I, a special purpose acquisition company, and, as with Haymaker II and III, led that entity’s merger with OneSpaWorld (NASDAQ:OSW), the world’s largest operator of spas on cruise ships and at destination resorts. Prior to Mistral, Mr. Bradley served as an investment banker at Banc of America Securities from 2005 to 2006, a Manager in Burger King’s strategy group in 2004, and a Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers management consulting practice from 1999 to 2004. Mr. Bradley currently serves on the advisory boards of Carnegie Park Capital, a multi-strategy private and public investment fund, Coliseum Acquisition Corp., a blank check company (NASDAQ:MITA) that is currently seeking a business combination target, MITA and Growth for Good Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ:GFGD), a blank check company that currently intends to merge with Zero Nox, Inc., an off-highway electrification provider, positions he has held since 2020, 2021, and 2021, respectively. Mr. Bradley has served as a member of the board of directors of The Beacon Consumer Incubator Fund since 2016. Mr. Bradley previously served on the board of directors of Creminelli Fine Meats, LLC, a privately held premium-priced charcuterie wholesaler, from 2016 to 2020; The Lovesac Company, Inc., a direct to consumer furniture retailer, from 2010 to 2018; Country Pure Foods, Inc. a wholesaler of packaged juice products, from 2010 to 2014; XWELL, Inc. (NASDAQ:XWEL), formerly Xpress Spa Group, Inc., from 2012 to 2014; and Jamba, Inc., formerly Jamba Juice, Inc., from 2009 to 2013. Mr. Bradley earned an A.B. from the University of Chicago and an M.B.A. from The Harvard Business School.
Board of Directors
Roger Meltzer, 72
Director Nominee
Mr. Meltzer is a distinguished global leader. Mr. Meltzer has practiced law at DLA Piper LLP since 2007 and held various roles. Prior to joining DLA Piper LLP, Mr. Meltzer practiced law at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP from 1977 through 2007. Mr. Meltzer currently serves on the Advisory Board of Harvard Law School Center on the Legal Profession (2015?—?Present); and the Board of Trustees, New York University Law School (2011?—?Present); and previously served on the Corporate Advisory Board, John Hopkins, Carey Business School (2009?—?2012). He has served, or is currently serving, on the board of directors of: Lionheart II Corp. from March 2021 until its merger in May 2022 with MSP Recovery, Inc., a Medicare, Medicaid, commercial, and secondary payer reimbursement recovery and technology provider, and thereafter as a member of the combined company’s board of directors; Lionheart III Corp. from March 2021 until its merger in March 2023 with Empatan Public Limited Company (“SMX”), a holder of a patented marker and block chain open system technology able to store data at a molecular level within products and materials, and thereafter as a member of the combined company’s board of directors; AID Holdings II Management Services, LLC, a management company overseeing assisted living facilities, since December 2022; Haymaker Acquisition Corp. III (from February 2021 to May 2022); certain subsidiaries of Nordic Aviation Capital (from December 2021 to April 2022); The Legal Aid Society (from 2013 to 2020); Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (from 2000 to 2020); American Lawyer Media (from 2010 to 2014); and The Coinmach Service Corporation (from 2009 to 2013); Ubicquia LLC, a privately-held smart lighting solutions provider (since February 2021); Aearo Holding LLC and affiliated entities (since June 2022); and Klein Hersh, an executive recruitment firm that spans the life sciences continuum and healthcare industry (since February 2023). Mr. Meltzer was named as a defendant in three class action derivative stockholder actions, which were consolidated into one action, in connection with Hain Celestial Group filed in the Eastern District Court of New York in 2017, alleging, among other things, breach of fiduciary duty and violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 based on allegedly materially false or misleading statements and omissions in public statements, press releases and SEC filings. In November 2022, the assigned Magistrate issued a report and recommendation recommending dismissal with prejudice, to which plaintiffs filed objections and defendants countered. The case remains pending. Mr. Meltzer received Juris Doctor degree in law from New York University School of Law and an A.B. from Harvard College.
Walter F. McLallen, 57
Director Nominee
Mr. McLallen is a finance professional with over 30 years of leveraged finance, private equity, restructuring and operations experience. Mr. McLallen has been the Managing Member of Meritage Capital Advisors, an advisory boutique firm focused on debt and private equity transaction origination, structuring and consulting, since 2004. Mr. McLallen has extensive board and organizational experience and has served on numerous corporate and non-profit boards and committees, with a significant historical focus on consumer products-related companies. Mr. McLallen served as a director of publicly traded Centric Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRC), a lifestyle brands collective in the branded and licensed apparel and accessories sectors, from 2016 to 2020, and AerCap Holdings N.V. (NYSE: AER), an aircraft leasing company, from 2015 to 2017. Since 2019, Mr. McLallen has served as a director of OneSpaWorld Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: OSW) and, from 2017 to 2019, he served as a director of Haymaker II. He also served on the boards of several consumer-focused private companies, including Timeless Wine Company, the producer of consumer luxury wine brands Silver Oak, Twomey and OVID; Worldwise, a consumer branded pet products company; adMarketplace, a search engine advertiser; and Frontier Dermatology, a physician practice platform. Since 2014, Mr. McLallen has also been a Founder and Co-Chairman of Tomahawk Strategic Solutions, a law enforcement and corporate training and risk management company. From 2006 to 2015, he was Vice Chairman of Remington Outdoor Company, an outdoor consumer platform he co-founded with a major investment firm. Mr. McLallen was formerly with CIBC World Markets from 1995 to 2004, during which time he was a Managing Director, head of Debt Capital Markets and head of High Yield Distribution. Mr. McLallen started his career in the Mergers & Acquisitions Department of Drexel Burnham Lambert and was a founding member of The Argosy Group L.P. Mr. McLallen received a B.A. with a double major in Economics and Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Brian Shimko, 37
Director Nominee
Mr. Shimko has served as a General Partner at Maywic Select Investments since 2017 as well as principal of Comm Investments, a diversified investment firm he founded, since 2016. Mr. Shimko has over 15 years of experience investing in acquisition candidates, completing due diligence, financial modeling, and deal structuring. Mr. Shimko previously served as the Senior Vice President of Haymaker III from 2021 to 2022. His experience spans evaluating, executing and monitoring public, private, and venture capital investments. He has served on the board of Fortis Security Products, LLC., a privately held banking infrastructure company, since 2018, The Sill, a privately held consumer products company, since 2023 and Lake Ridge Academy, a private school located in North Ridgeville Ohio since 2017. Prior to Maywic, Mr. Shimko served as a Manager of Merger and Acquisitions at EY from 2016 to 2017 and held various financial analysis positions at General Electric (NYSE: GE) from 2007 to 2016. Mr. Shimko received his B.A. from Fordham University and his M.B.A. from the University of Michigan.