Charles F. ("Chip") Baird, Jr.

Biographical Information
"Charles F. ("Chip") Baird, Jr., North Castle's founder and Managing Director, has spent the last 30 years as an investor and consultant partnering with CEOs to improve their companies' operating performance and shareholder returns. Chip began studying the emerging Health, Wellness and Active Living trends more than 15 years ago and founded North Castle Partners in 1997 specifically to pursue opportunities in this dynamic new marketplace.

"Chip serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for three North Castle portfolio companies: gloProfessional, International Fitness, and Red Door Spas. Chip also serves on the Board of Directors of Curves, Performance Bicycle, Octane Fitness, Flatout, and Ibex, and has served on the Board of Directors of Atkins/Bora-Bora Organic Foods, Cascade Helmets, Enzymatic Therapy, CRC Health, Equinox Fitness, GEI, and Naked Juice. He is a trustee of The Alger Fund.

"Prior to founding North Castle, Chip served as a Managing Director of AEA Investors LLC from 1989 to 1997, where he was involved in initiating, negotiating, financing, monitoring, and exiting principal investments.

"From 1978 to 1989, Chip worked at Bain & Company, where, as an Executive Vice President and North American Management Committee member, he was involved in developing strategy and implementing profit improvement initiatives for companies in the health care, forest products, packaging, publishing, chemicals, food, plastics, and textile industries. From 1975 to 1977, he worked in mergers and acquisitions at The First Boston Corporation. Chip received an A.B. from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. "