Medifast Expands Executive Team to Support Future Growth Plans

BALTIMORE, Oct. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Medifast (NYSE: MED), a leading manufacturer and distributor of clinically proven, healthy living products and programs, today announced the appointment of Tony Tyree as Chief Marketing Officer and Fran Lawler as Chief Human Resources Officer, adding to the company's expert leadership team as it prepares for international expansion with its lifestyle brand and Coach community, OPTAVIA®. Tyree and Lawler, whose appointments follow those of Nicholas Johnson, President of OPTAVIA, USA, and Clovis Lau, Vice President Business Development, Asia-Pacific, will be instrumental in scaling the company's growth in new and existing markets including Hong Kong and Singapore in 2019.

"This is an exciting time in Medifast's history as we continue to drive record-breaking revenue and profitability fueled by the growth of our dedicated OPTAVIA community," said Dan Chard, Chief Executive Officer at Medifast. "Tony and Fran's experience and expertise further strengthens our corporate leadership and will help us build on the momentum we reported in the second quarter as we expand internationally, and advance our mission of lifelong transformation, one healthy habit at a time."

Tyree is charged with leading the company's marketing, scientific and clinical affairs, nutrition support, product development, and strategic planning and program management teams. He most recently served as Vice President of Global Snacks at The Hershey Company, where he formulated the vision, mission and strategic pillars to increase the company's presence in the global health and wellness snack category. Tyree brings more than 20 years of experience in the consumer packaged goods industry and has held various leadership roles at Fonterra LTD, Kraft Foods, Nabisco, and the Kellogg Company, giving him extensive marketing and general management experience both domestically and abroad, including the Asia-Pacific market.

Lawler is tasked with developing Medifast's talent management strategy both domestically and abroad, which encompasses recruitment, succession planning, and employee development. Bringing over 17 years of experience to Medifast across several industries including food, technology, and consumer packaged goods, Lawler has spent her career developing initiatives to support growth plans and build global teams. Prior to joining Medifast, Lawler served as a Vice President, Human Resources for Stanley Black & Decker, where she championed the development of a high-performance global integrated team and recruited for key leadership capabilities. She has also held various leadership roles with Apex Tool Group LLC., Corning Inc., and General Mills Inc.

Tyree and Lawler join Nicholas Johnson, who was appointed President of OPTAVIA, USA in January 2018, and brings more than 10 years of direct selling, marketing, and client relations experience to the company. Johnson is responsible for leading the growth of OPTAVIA in the United States by partnering with the growing community of OPTAVIA Coaches and supporting them in the key areas of marketing communication, Field development, and Client services. Previously, Johnson served as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Nu Skin Enterprises, where he oversaw sales and marketing for 27 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Clovis Lau joined Medifast in January 2018, and currently serves as Vice President of Business Development, Asia-Pacific. With more than 15 years of experience at global direct-selling companies such as Nu Skin Enterprises, Market America, USANA, and Herbalife, he is responsible for leading the company's business development efforts in the Asia-Pacific region with an initial focus of opening the gateway markets of Hong Kong and Singapore. Before joining Medifast, Lau served as co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at Wemedia Shopping Network, a newly established social commerce shopping platform focused on cross-border e-commerce in Mainland China.

Tyree, Lawler, Johnson, and Lau's appointments round out Medifast's executive team, which in addition to Dan Chard as Chief Executive Officer, includes Tim Robinson, Chief Financial Officer; Jason Groves, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary; and Bill Baker, Executive Vice President of Information Technology.

In June, Medifast elected two new members to its Board of Directors, Michael Hoer and Xian Ming. Hoer and Xian bring extensive leadership experience in the Asia-Pacific region to the Board of Directors as the company prepares to advance its international footprint to the Asia-Pacific region in the first half of 2019.

For more information on OPTAVIA or Medifast, visit www.OPTAVIA.com or www.MedifastInc.com.  

About Medifast®:
Medifast (NYSE: MED) is a leading manufacturer and distributor of clinically proven, healthy living products and programs. The brand has been recommended by more than 20,000 doctors since its founding. Its integrated coach model leverages nearly 40 years of experience from medical, franchise, e-commerce, and direct selling channels. Medifast and its community of independent OPTAVIA Coaches embrace the future of wellness with a shared vision to offer the world lifelong transformation, one healthy habit at a time™. OPTAVIA® is represented by a community of OPTAVIA Coaches who teach Clients healthy habits, while offering support and guidance on their transformation journey. In 2018, Medifast announced it will expand into the Asia-Pacific markets of Hong Kong and Singapore in 2019 with its integrated coach model. Medifast is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and was named to Forbes' 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America List in 2016 and 2017. For more information, visit www.MedifastInc.com or www.OPTAVIA.com.

SOURCE Medifast

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