Cornell Capital-Backed Corelle Brands Appoints Ben Gadbois as President and Chief Executive Officer

ROSEMONT, Ill., June 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Corelle Brands LLC ("Corelle Brands" or the "Company"), a leading manufacturer and marketer of iconic kitchenware brands such as Pyrex®, Instant Pot®, Corelle®, and SnapWare®, today announced the appointment of Ben Gadbois as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Gadbois, who is also joining the Company's Board of Directors, succeeds Kenneth Wilkes, who is retiring and will continue to serve on the Board of Directors.

Mr. Gadbois brings to the Company more than two decades of experience driving growth for leading consumer brands. Most recently, Mr. Gadbois served as Global President and Chief Operating Officer of Spin Master, where he was instrumental in guiding the company through transformative acquisitions and its successful IPO in 2015, while helping to grow the brand into a leading children's toy, games and entertainment company. Prior to that, Mr. Gadbois spent 13 years in various leadership roles at Newell Brands, a consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of brands such as Rubbermaid®, Calphalon®, Graco, Pyrex®, Paper Mate, Sharpie® and Expo. Earlier in his career, he worked at Stanley Black & Decker and Arthur Andersen LLP.

Recognized for his ability to create value and build brands globally through his consumer-focused, process-driven approach, Mr. Gadbois joins Corelle Brands at an opportune time. Under the leadership of Mr. Wilkes and Cornell Capital, which acquired the Company in 2017, Corelle Brands has doubled in size through expanded product offerings, new market entries and the successful merger with Instant Brands in 2019. Now unrivaled in its comprehensive suite of products and accessories for all steps of the culinary process, Corelle Brands is poised for further growth across markets and new product categories.

"I am thrilled to be joining the Corelle Brands family, maker of some of the most well-known houseware brands in the industry. Now more than ever, people around the world are relying on Corelle Brands' suite of products to help make home life easier as they spend more time cooking, baking, serving meals and storing food at home," said Mr. Gadbois. "I look forward to working with the team to drive innovation and grow our brands globally as we keep consumers at the center of everything we do."

"We believe that Ben is a proven leader who will position Corelle Brands for further growth," said Joanna Reiss, Director of Corelle Brands and Partner at Cornell Capital. "He has deep consumer brands expertise and a track record of value creation, transformative leadership, operational excellence and financial outperformance."

Ms. Reiss continued, "On behalf of the Board, I also want to thank Ken for his leadership and many contributions to Corelle Brands. We wish him the best in his retirement and appreciate his continued service on the Board."

"We're proud of our accomplishments over the past three years that have positioned Corelle Brands for such meaningful growth," said Mr. Wilkes. "Many thanks to our brilliant employees with whom I have had the pleasure to work, and the Cornell Capital team whose support and direction have been instrumental to our success. I'm confident that with Ben and the rest of our talented management team at the helm, the Company is well positioned for its next chapter. It has been my honor and privilege to help transform this business into a global leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of kitchenware that is beloved by so many."

About Corelle Brands LLC
Headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., Corelle Brands and its affiliates design, manufacture and market iconic kitchenware products worldwide for a superior culinary experience. Its well-recognized and respected brands have been in the homes and hearts of families across the world for over 100 years, including Pyrex®, Corelle®, Instant Pot®, CorningWare®, Snapware®, Chicago Cutlery®, and Olfa®. Corelle Brands and its affiliates employ approximately 3,000 people, and have major manufacturing and distribution operations in North America and Asia-Pacific regions. For more information, please visit www.CorelleBrands.com.

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SOURCE Corelle Brands LLC