Dr. Patrick M. Byrne Chairman and CEO
Dr. Patrick M. Byrne is Chairman and CEO of Overstock.com, Inc., a Utah-based internet retailer that has been publicly traded since 2002. Under Byrne's leadership the company's revenue soared from $1.8 million in 1999 to $760.2 million in 2007.
Before founding Overstock.com, Byrne served as chairman, president and CEO of Centricut, LLC, a manufacturer of industrial torch consumables, then held the same three positions at Fechheimer Brothers, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company and manufacturer of police, firefighter, and military uniforms.
In 2001, he began Worldstock.com, Overstock.com's socially responsible marketplace for handcrafted products created by artisans from developing nations and from underprivileged artisans in the United States. Overstock's margins on these items are low in order to provide a larger percentage of the sales proceeds directly to the suppliers. On average, artisans receive about 60% of the profit.
Byrne believes that, along with economic freedom, education is the foundation of a healthy society. Byrne has founded 19 schools internationally and is a champion of educational freedom in the United States. In that regard, he is very active in the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice. His personal formal education includes a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in Philosophy & Asian Studies, a master's degree in philosophy from Cambridge University as a Marshall scholar, and a doctorate in philosophy from Stanford University.
Byrne's free market philosophy and passion for sound economic principles often outweigh self-interest. He encourages Americans to pay down their credit card debt, and has vigorously advocated for greater SEC oversight and federal enforcement efforts to curb various forms of securities manipulation practiced by large stock market participants, a position which has provoked the wrath of Wall Street.
Byrne has a black belt in tae kwon do and once pursued a career in professional boxing. He has cycled across the country four times. His last ride, in the summer of 2000, was to raise awareness and funds for cancer research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Jonathan E. Johnson, III President
Jonathan E. Johnson III is the President of Overstock.com, and former General Counsel.
Johnson joined Overstock.com in 2002 as the Company's General Counsel and has also served as it Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Legal.
Prior to joining Overstock.com, Jonathan was with TenFold Corporation in various positions, including General Counsel, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Before that, Jonathan practiced law in the Los Angeles offices of the New York-based law firm of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy and the San Francisco-based law firm of Graham & James. His practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, international transactions and general corporate work. Jonathan was a judicial clerk at the Utah Court of Appeals and the Utah Supreme Court for Justice Leonard H. Russon.
Jonathan received a bachelor's degree in Japanese from Brigham Young University, studied for a year at Osaka University of Foreign Studies in Japan, and received his law degree from the J. Reuben Clark, Jr. Law School at Brigham Young University.
Geoff Atkinson SVP, CRM & Demand Management
As SVP of CRM & Demand Management at Overstock.com, Geoff is responsible for the search and email marketing channels as well as the CRM group. Since joining the company in 2005, Geoff has worked primarily on improving the customer facing search and navigation experience as well as growing the email and search marketing channels. He has held such positions as VP of tactical marketing and director of web site and email marketing.
Before coming to Overstock, Geoff worked in marketing and branding at Smith Sport Optics, a manufacturer of sunglasses and goggles for sports and leisure, in Sun Valley, Idaho. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Dartmouth College.
Steve Chesnut SVP, Finance
As the Senior Vice President, Finance, Steve's duties include supervision of financial planning and analysis, accounting, SEC compliance and reporting, investor relations, and treasury functions. Steve is the company's principal financial and accounting officer.
Prior to joining Overstock.com, Steve served as Vice President, Strategy/Market Development/Sales for HD Supply, Inc., a privately-held wholesale distribution company based in Atlanta, Georgia, from August 2007. From 1998 to August 2007, Steve served in a variety of capacities for The Home Depot or its subsidiaries, including Director, Business Development for HD Supply (prior to its sale by Home Depot), Director, Finance and Chief Financial Officer for Home Depot Supply, Director, New Concept Development, and Director, Strategic Planning. Prior to joining The Home Depot, Steve served in a variety of operational, planning and financial positions for Target Stores Inc. from 1986 to 1998. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and business management from Southern Utah University, and a master of business administration degree in finance and strategic planning from Brigham Young University.
Jacob Hawkins SVP, Supply Chain
As Senior Vice President of Supply Chain at Overstock.com, Jacob is responsible for product sourcing, merchandising operations, and operations group. His previous duties at Overstock.com included Vice President of Change Management, where he co-managed buying, merchandising operations, velocity, and skunkworks, and SVP of Online Marketing, where he was responsible for online marketing and customer acquisition activities. Since joining Overstock.com in 2000, Jacob has performed various roles across the organization, including business development, marketing, merchandising, and project management.
Prior to joining Overstock.com, Jacob consulted for Professional Marketing International.
Jacob received master's of business administration from the University of Utah and a bachelor's degree in business management from Brigham Young University.
Sam Peterson SVP, Technology
Sam Peterson, Senior Vice President, Technology, is responsible for IT infrastructure, development and website design at Overstock. Sam served as the Vice President, Software Development from early 2005, and was appointed as Director, Network and Systems Engineering in 2003, where he managed several development teams. During that time, he directed the technology team that built the Overstock.com Auctions website. Prior to joining Overstock in 1999, Sam was involved in creating several start-up internet ventures, including Fitnesoft, Inc.
Stormy D. Simon SVP, Marketing and Customer Care
Since joining Overstock.com in 2001 Stormy Simon has held various marketing and management positions. These include Director of B2B, and VP responsibility for overseeing BMMG, Auctions, Travel, and various other programs, as well as serving as Chief of Staff to the CEO. Stormy currently serves in a dual role as the Senior Vice President of both Marketing and Customer Care. Besides being responsible for all of Overstock's internet marketing efforts, Stormy also oversees Overstock's offline marketing efforts, writing and producing all television, radio and print advertising, handling all media buys, and is responsible for Public Relations. Stormy has restructured the Customer Care department around cross-functional teams, set up certification and online education programs for customer care agents, implemented CRM software by RightNow Technologies to improve agents' responsiveness, and announced her ambition of perfecting the customer experience. Thanks to Stormy by 2007 Overstock.com earned the #4 spot in customer service rankings among all US retailers, according to rankings published by the NRF Foundation/American Express Customer Service Survey, and maintained #4 ranking in 2008. In 2009 she improved Overstock.com to the #2 spot on that same list. CEO Patrick Byrne said of Stormy, "I have learned a lesson I wish to share with corporate America: if you want to make your company customer-centric, just take the most stubborn, unbending, hard-headed, customer-loving employee you have, and put her over customer service. The company gets customer-centric quicker than you ever thought possible."
Stephen Tryon SVP, Logistics
Stephen Tryon is a Senior Vice President of Overstock.com, to which he brings valuable experience in strategic planning, operations management, and legislative affairs. Prior to joining Overstock.com, Tryon was the Legislative Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the United States Army. During his 21 years in uniform, his assignments included director of plans for the 10th Mountain Division, Congressional Fellow for a United States Senator, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the United States Military Academy, and commander of a company of paratroopers. Tryon received a B.S. in Applied Sciences from the U.S. Military Academy and a M.A. in Philosophy from Stanford University. His military awards include the Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal with V-Device, and a commendation from the Republic of Korea's Minister of Defense.
Dr. Patrick M. Byrne Chairman and CEO
Dr. Patrick M. Byrne is Chairman and CEO of Overstock.com, Inc., a Utah-based internet retailer that has been publicly traded since 2002. Under Byrne's leadership the company's revenue soared from $1.8 million in 1999 to $760.2 million in 2007.
Before founding Overstock.com, Byrne served as chairman, president and CEO of Centricut, LLC, a manufacturer of industrial torch consumables, then held the same three positions at Fechheimer Brothers, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company and manufacturer of police, firefighter, and military uniforms.
In 2001, he began Worldstock.com, Overstock.com's socially responsible marketplace for handcrafted products created by artisans from developing nations and from underprivileged artisans in the United States. Overstock's margins on these items are low in order to provide a larger percentage of the sales proceeds directly to the suppliers. On average, artisans receive about 60% of the profit.
Byrne believes that, along with economic freedom, education is the foundation of a healthy society. Byrne has founded 19 schools internationally and is a champion of educational freedom in the United States. In that regard, he is very active in the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice. His personal formal education includes a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in Philosophy & Asian Studies, a master's degree in philosophy from Cambridge University as a Marshall scholar, and a doctorate in philosophy from Stanford University.
Byrne's free market philosophy and passion for sound economic principles often outweigh self-interest. He encourages Americans to pay down their credit card debt, and has vigorously advocated for greater SEC oversight and federal enforcement efforts to curb various forms of securities manipulation practiced by large stock market participants, a position which has provoked the wrath of Wall Street.
Byrne has a black belt in tae kwon do and once pursued a career in professional boxing. He has cycled across the country four times. His last ride, in the summer of 2000, was to raise awareness and funds for cancer research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Allison H. Abraham Director
Allison H. Abraham has served as a director of Overstock.com since March 2002. Ms. Abraham served as president and as a director of LifeMinders, Inc., an online direct marketing company, from May 2000 until the acquisition of LifeMinders by Cross Media Marketing Corp. in October 2001. Prior to joining LifeMinders, Ms. Abraham served as chief operating officer of iVillage Inc., an online media company, from May 1998 to May 2000. From February 1997 to April 1998, Ms. Abraham was president, chief operating officer and a director of Shoppers Express, an online grocery service, and also served as vice president of sales and marketing for several months prior to her promotion. From 1992 to 1996, Ms. Abraham held several marketing and management positions at Ameritech Corporation. She was employed at American Express Travel Related Services in New York City from 1988 to 1992, focusing on the launch of new products and loyalty programs.
Ms. Abraham holds a MBA degree from the Darden School at the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Tufts University.
Clay Corbus Director
Clay Corbus joined the Overstock board in March 2007 and serves on the Audit Committee.
Mr. Corbus is the Co-Chief Executive Officer of WR Hambrecht + Co, an investment bank. Prior to joining WR Hambrecht in March 1999, Clay was in the investment banking group at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette and focused on the technology and communications industries. Clay also worked at Microsoft and has consulted for small businesses.
Clay graduated from Dartmouth College with an AB in Government and has an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School.
Joseph J. Tabacco, Jr. Director
Joseph J. Tabacco, Jr joined the Overstock.com board in June 2007 and serves on the Audit and Compensation Committees.
Mr. Tabacco is the managing partner of the San Francisco office of Berman DeValerio Pease Tabacco Burt & Pucillo, a law firm that prosecutes class actions nationwide on behalf of institutions and individuals, mostly victims of antitrust and securities law violations.
A 1974 honors graduate of the George Washington University School of Law, Mr. Tabacco has actively litigated antitrust, securities fraud, commercial high tech, and intellectual property matters since the 1970s. Since entering private practice in the 1980s, after a six year stint as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, Mr. Tabacco has served as trial or lead counsel in numerous antitrust and securities cases nationally. Mr. Tabacco and his firm represent numerous public pension fund and private institutional clients nationally and have successfully prosecuted cases resulting in the recovery of billions of dollars for defrauded investors and businesses.
