Board of Directors

Andrew Claerhout

Chairman of the Board

Elected to the board in 2012. Appointed to the Compensation Committee.

Vice President of Teachers’ Private Capital (“TPC”), the private equity arm of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (“OTPP”).

Previous positions: Pacific Equity Partners in Australia and Bain & Company in Canada and Hong Kong.

Education: HBA degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario and has completed the Stanford Executive Program, Stanford University, and is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Skills: Experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and capital structure, consumer products industries and board practices of other major corporations will strengthen the collective qualifications, skills, and experience of the Board of Directors of ALH.

Thomas F. L'Esperance

Vice Chairman

Elected to the board in 2005. Vice Chairman since 2011. Appointed to the Compensation Committee.

Previous positions: Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Laundry Systems 1998-2011. President of Alliance Laundry Systems 1996-2007. President for Caloric Corporation and Amana Home Appliances. Executive management at Raytheon. Board of directors at Remington Arms 2004-2007.

Education: Bachelor of Science, financial management from Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

Skills: Broad knowledge of the commercial and consumer laundry industries, strategic planning and leadership of complex organizations that strengthen the board of directors' collective qualifications, skills and experience.

 

Michael D. Schoeb

Board Member

Elected to the board in 2011.

Chief Executive Officer & President

Previous positions: President and Chief Operating Officer of Alliance Laundry Systems 2007-2011. President and Chief Operating Officer at Wausau Homes, Inc. Sr. Vice President of Marketing & Brand, North America at Hilti Corporation. President of Hilti do Brasil and Vice President of Sales, Northeast USA. Various sales, marketing and general management roles at Johnson Controls, Inc.

Education: Bachelor of Arts, political science from Mount Saint Mary's College in Emittsburg, Maryland. Master of Science, Master of Business Administration from John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Skills: Knowledge and experience in international operations, sales and marketing and leadership of complex organizations that strengthen the board of directors collective qualifications, skills and experience.

 

Russell Hammond

Board Member

Elected to the board in 2011. Appointed to the Audit and Compensation Committees.

Director at Teachers’ Private Capital 2006-present. Board of Directors of Aquilex and the EXAL Group.

Previous positions: Director in the investment banking division of Credit Suisse. Director at Merrill Lynch.

Education: Graduated with a B.S. degree from Cornell University as a Presidential Scholar.

Skills: Knowledge and experience in finance, investment banking and board practices of other major corporations that strengthen the collective qualifications, skills and experience of the board of directors.

 

Tamara Finch

Board Member

Elected to the board in 2013.  Appointed to the Audit and Compensation Committes.

Director and Head of Portfolio Management of Teachers’ Private Capital 2002-present.  Board of Directors of Women’s College Hospital.

Previous positions:  Direct Transactions at Teachers’ Private Capital.  Corporate Credit at Scotiabank.

Education: BA (Honours, Economics) from Queen's University and an MBA (Finance) from the University of Toronto. She is a CFA charter holder and a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Skills:  Knowledge and experience in private equity, corporate credit, board effectiveness, cross-portfolio and best practices initiatives across the private equity portfolio, will strengthen the collective qualifications, skills, and experience of the Board of Directors of ALH.

 

Jeffrey Markusson

Board Member

Elected to the board in 2011. Appointed to the Audit and Compensation Committees.

Portfolio Manager at Teachers’ Private Capital 2006-present. Board of Directors of the EXAL Group.

Previous positions: Mergers and acquisitions group of CIBC World Markets.

Education: B.A. in economics from Simon Fraser University. M.B.A. from the University of Toronto, where he graduated as a Gold Medalist.

Skills: Knowledge and experience in finance and capital structure and board practices of other major corporations that strengthen the collective qualifications, skills and experience of the board of directors.

 

Charles J. Philippin

Board Member

Elected to the board in 2005. Appointed to the Audit Committee.

CEO of Sbarbs LLC. Board of Directors of Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc.

Previous positions: Principal of Garmark Advisors 2002-2008. CEO of Online Retail Partners 2000-2002. Member of the management committee of Investcorp International Inc. 1994-2000. Partner and National Director of Mergers & Acquisitions of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Director on the boards of CSK Auto Corporation 2004-2008, Competitive Technologies 1999-2007 and Samsonite Corporation 2003-2007.

Education: Certified Public Accountant. Bachelor's degree from the Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Skills: Knowledge and experience in accounting, finance, capital structure and board practices of other major corporations that strengthen the Board of Directors’ collective qualifications, skills and experience.

 

J. Hugh MacDiarmid

Board Member

Elected to the board in 2007.

President and CEO of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited.

Previous positions: Managing Director of Holden Railway Equipment Corp. 2005-2008. President and CEO of Laidlaw Transit Inc. 2003-2005. President of Killin Management Corporation 2001-2003. Executive Vice-President of Canadian Pacific Railway 1995-2001. Principal of McKinsey & Company.

Education: Graduate (H.B.A.) of the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. Received an M.B.A. from Stanford University.

Skills: Knowledge and experience in international operations and strategic planning and leadership of complex organizations that strengthen the board of directors’ collective qualifications, skills and experience.

 

Board Committee Charters:

Charter of the Audit Committee (PDF)

Charter of the Compensation Committee (PDF)