Mr. Schmidt was appointed President, International in November 2011 after serving as Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy and New Business Development since July 2011 and as President, North American Business Solutions since July 2007. Prior to joining Office Depot, Mr. Schmidt spent 11 years with the ACNielsen Corporation, most recently serving as President and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining ACNielsen, Mr. Schmidt spent eight years at the Pillsbury Food Company, serving as President of its Canadian and Southeast Asian operations. He has also held management positions at PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble.

Mr. Peters was appointed President, North American in July 2011. He previously served as President of the North American Retail Division since April 2010 and as Executive Vice President, Supply Chain and Information Technology since March 2009. He joined the company in 2007 as Executive Vice President, Supply Chain. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Peters spent five years in management roles at W.W. Grainger, including Senior Vice President, Supply Chain and Merchandising. Prior to W.W. Grainger, Mr. Peters spent 11 years at The Home Depot, serving as Vice President and General Manager, Home Depot Commercial Direct and Vice President Supply Chain and Merchandising.

Mr. Brown has been President, International since 2005. In 2007, oversight of business development was added to his role. He was the companys Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 2001 to 2005. Prior to that, Mr. Brown was Senior Vice President, Finance and Controller since he joined our company in 1998. Before joining Office Depot, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Dennys, Inc. from 1996 until 1998; from 1994 until 1995, he was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of ARAMARK International; and from 1989 until 1994, he was Vice President and Controller of Pizza Hut International, a Division of PepsiCo, Inc. Mr. Brown assumed the role of acting Chief Financial Officer of the company effective March 1, 2008 and served in that role until August 2008, when Michael Newman began his role as the companys permanent Chief Financial Officer.

Mr. Austrian has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since May 23, 2011 and he acted as Interim Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since November 1, 2010. Mr. Austrian has served as a Director since 1998. He also served as our Interim Chair and Chief Executive Officer from October 4, 2004 until March 11, 2005. Mr. Austrian served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Football League from April 1991 until December 1999. He was a Managing Director of Dillon, Read & Co. Inc. from October 1987 until March 1991. Mr. Austrian served as a director of Viking Office Products from January 1988 until August 1998 when Office Depot merged with Viking Office Products. He also serves as a director of The DirecTV Group (formerly Hughes Electronics Company).

Mr. Newman was appointed Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer in August 2008. Prior to joining Office Depot, Mr. Newman served as Chief Financial Officer of Platinum Research Organization, Inc. from April 2007 through February 2008. Prior to joining Platinum Research Organization, Mr. Newman was employed as an independent consultant since 2005. Mr. Newman also served as Chief Financial Officer of Blackstone Crystal Holdings Capital Partners from 2004 to 2005 and Chief Financial Officer of Radio Shack Corp. from 2001 to 2004. Mr. Newman also held Chief Financial Officer roles at Intimate Brands and Hussmann International (which was acquired by Ingersoll-Rand in 2000). He also spent 17 years at General Electric in a variety of management roles both in the United States and Europe.

Mr. Odland has been Chair and Chief Executive Officer since March 2005. Prior to joining Office Depot, Inc., he was Chair, Chief Executive Officer, and President of AutoZone, Inc. from 2001 until March 2005. Previously he was an executive with Ahold USA from 1998 to 2000. Mr. Odland was President of the Foodservice Division of Sara Lee Bakery from 1997 to 1998. He was employed by The Quaker Oats Company from 1981 to 1996 in various executive positions. Mr. Odland is also a Director of General Mills, Inc. On October 24, 2010, Mr. Stephen A. Odland resigned as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Office Depot, Inc. (the Company), effective November 1, 2010.