Petters Group WorldwideThomas J. Petters, Chairman & CEOTom Petters started a trading company in 1988 with little or no capital. Under his 18 years of management and guidance, Petters Group Worldwide has grown from a one-man operation into a company that employs over 3200 people today that span the globe. Petters Group Worldwide is a privately held company which invests in over 60 companies and has active management in over 20. The collection of companies develop and manufacture consumer goods with leading technology. Petters Group of companies sell to the largest retailers in the world. Mr. Petters acquired two of the leading direct to consumer businesses which further leverage sourcing and distribution for the group.
In 2002, he was a partner in acquiring and restarting Fingerhut, one of the largest catalog and direct mail companies in the country. The following year he acquired uBid.com, the second largest Internet auction site. In 2005, they became a public company with Petters Group as a minority owner. Also in 2005, after 2 years of being a licensee of Polaroid for consumer electronics, Polaroid Corporation was purchased by Petters Group Worldwide. The Petters Consumer Brands division of Petters Group continues to build strong programs for other companies as a licensee for Sunbeam, Oster and Emerson. In October 2006 Petters Group and Whitebox Advisors purchased Sun Country Airlines, a low cost, low fare carrier based in St. Paul, MN.
Tom is a leading contributor to many charitable organizations. Tom serves on the board of trustees at the College of St. Benedict, was awarded Corporate Leader of the Year in 2001 by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and was presented with the Distinguished Humanitarian Award in 2003 by B'nai B'rith. To his contemporaries, Thomas J. Petters is an innovative entrepreneur. But to the many charities and local universities he serves, Mr. Petters is a compassionate donor of resources and time; a man whose character, integrity and ethics make him a positive role model for all.
Mary L. Jeffries, President/Chief Operating Officer
Ms. Jeffries joined Petters Group Worldwide in 2005 and is the President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Petters Group Worldwide, she owned her own management consulting company focused in the areas of strategy, operations and finance. Previously, Ms. Jeffries was General Partner and Chief Operating Officer for St. Paul Venture Capital a large early-stage venture capital firm and Chief Operating Officer of WeberShandwick an international public relations and marketing communications company. Ms. Jeffries currently serves on the Board of Directors for Famous Dave’s of
America, Children’s Cancer Research and Catholic Charities. She also serves on the Board of Advisors for Minnesota Business Magazine and several early-stage venture funded companies. Patricia A. Hamm, Executive Vice President Human Resources & Learning CenterMs. Hamm began her career in Human Resources in 1980 as Director of Career Development at Gustavus Adolphus College. After holding senior positions at First Bank System, Aequitron Medical, Inc., and Net Perceptions, Ms. Hamm became Vice President of Human Resources for Fingerhut, Inc. In 2002, Fingerhut was sold to the Petters Group and Ms. Hamm was promoted to her current position as Executive Vice President of Human Resources. David Baer, Chief Legal Officer
Mr. Baer has the unique ability to effectively blend business acumen with legal training, making the legal department a valued business partner throughout the Petters organization. Prior to joining Petters Group in 2003, Mr. Baer was an attorney at Leonard, Street and Deinard, where he practiced corporate law. In 2006 he was named one of the Top 15 Lawyers in Minnesota by Minnesota Lawyer. He received his B.A. from the University of Minnesota and his law degree from the William Mitchell College of Law, where he graduated cum laude.
James C. Wehmhoff, EVP Finance/Tax/TreasuryMr. Wehmhoff has been working for Petters Group Worldwide since July of 2004. Jim is a Certified Public Accountant and practiced for over 30 years providing tax, accounting, and consulting services to clients. Upon retiring from the public accounting field, Tom Petters, a longtime client, requested him to set up a corporate tax department for the Petters Group entities. On a day to day basis he works on tax issues that are outstanding with federal and state agencies, tax returns, assisting the finance and accounting departments, and monitoring the updates on current tax laws. Jim’s favorite part about his job however is doing tax planning for new ventures, which include entities Petters Group is attempting to purchase or sell. Andrea Miller, Director Corporate Communications
Ms. Miller brings a variety of skills in public relations, marketing, retail account management and graphic design to Petters Group. Prior to joining the organization in 1999, Ms. Miller worked for SuperValu and Garvin. Ms. Miller earned her B.A. at Bemidji State University. Strategic PartnersThomas S. Hay
Mr. Hay joined Petters Group Worldwide in 1998 and currently serves as EVP of Legal Affairs and Corporate Development. He began a 35-year career with Dorsey & Whitney, LLP in 1962 and became a partner in 1968. He practiced in the areas of public and corporate finance. His tenure at Petters Group has seen him involved in all aspects of Petters Group and several businesses in which they are invested. Paul Traub
Mr. Traub is a founding partner of Traub, Bonacquist & Fox, LLP, a New York based "boutique" firm, focusing on insolvency and corporate restructuring, strategic asset acquisitions and disposition, distressed financings, and litigation. In September the “Traub Group” will join Dreier LLP, a New York and California based full service firm. He has served as lead counsel to creditors’ committees; and debtors in complex Chapter 11 cases and in transactional work in dozens of cases representing sellers, purchasers and creditors of financially troubled companies, throughout the United States and Canada. As a Strategic Partner Paul acts as a mentor to management of portfolio businesses to evaluate strategic options and opportunities and assists in the negotiation and implementation of those objectives. As a result of over 30 years of legal training combined with an entrepreneurial spirit Mr. Traub has developed the unique ability to address issues in “problem” companies to develop and implement an approach to buy, sell, turnaround or liquidate in order to maximize investments.
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