Board of Directors

Founder and Former CEO, Central Garden & Pet Company
Director Since: 1980
Central Garden & Pet Company Committee Membership: Executive Committee, Investment Committee

Mr. Brown has served as Chairman of the Board of the Company from 1980 until February of 2018 and since September 2019 and as Chief Executive Officer from 1980 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2013.

Mr. Brown founded the company and has extensive management and leadership experience and a deep knowledge of the lawn & garden and pet supplies industries and the financial and operational issues faced by the Company.

Chief Portfolio Officer, Liberty Media Corporation
Director Since: 2021
Central Garden & Pet Company Committee Membership: Investment Committee

Ms. Chun serves as Chief Portfolio Officer for Liberty Media Corporation, Qurate Retail, Inc., Liberty Trip Advisor Holdings, Inc., Liberty Broadband Corporation and GCI Liberty, having joined Liberty Media in February 2008. Previously, she served as VP Opportunity Development at Level 3, Chief Financial Officers at New Global Telecom and prior to these roles, received extensive transaction experience through corporate development work at FirstWorld Communications and investment banking at JP Morgan. Ms. Chun previously was a director of HSN, Inc., Expedia Group, Inc., and LendingTree, Inc.

Ms. Chun has broad-based experience in a number of industries including eCommerce, media, technology and direct-to-consumer markets and a strong background in M&A, portfolio management and investor relations.

CEO, Central Garden & Pet Company
Director Since: 2019
Central Garden & Pet Company Committee Membership: Executive Committee; Talent, Capabilities & Succession Committee; Digital Technology Committee

Mr. Cofer has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Company since October 2019. He has more than 30 years of experience in the consumer products industry. Mr. Cofer served as Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer of Mondelēz International from 2016 to 2019. Prior to that role, he held leadership positions with profit and loss responsibility in many large domestic and international units including President Mondelēz Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa from 2013 to 2015, President Kraft Foods Europe from 2011 to 2013, President Kraft Pizza Company from 2008 to 2010 and President Oscar Mayer Foods from 2006 to 2007.

Mr. Cofer has an extensive track record of growing consumer products businesses both organically and through acquisitions. He has business leadership experience across general management, corporate strategy, marketing, sales, eCommerce, R&D, innovation, cost discipline and M&A in the consumer products industry.

Executive Coach, Leadership Development and Board Advisor
Director Since: 2021
Central Garden & Pet Company Committee Membership: Audit Committee

Ms. Coleman has over 25 years of experience in talent management and development including executive coaching, leadership development, leadership and succession planning and talent acquisition. Since 2010, she has provided executive career coaching and board advisory services through her firm Lisa Coleman Advisory Services. Before starting her firm, Ms. Coleman served as Managing Director, Head of Leisure and Hospitality Practice, member of the Consumer and Private Equity Practices and Head of Research Americas at Russell Reynolds Associates, where she led business development, executive search and organization assessments for consumer sector clients. Prior to that role, she served as the Human Capital Partner at Maveron, a venture capital firm and spent five years at Korn/Ferry International as Partner, Retail Practice and Head of eCommerce.

Ms. Coleman has expertise in CEO and senior management succession planning, human capital management, leadership development and talent acquisition and broad-based experience in a number of industries including leisure & hospitality, private equity, retail and eCommerce.

Former Managing Partner and Board Member, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
Director Since: 2020
Central Garden & Pet Company Committee Membership: Audit Committee

Mr. Dougher served in executive roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP ("PwC") for 36 years including as Managing Partner of the NY Metro Region of PwC from July 2006 until June 2019 and Managing Partner of the U.S. Cyber Security & Privacy Practice from January 2019 to September 2019. 

As a former senior executive officer of one of the Big Four audit firms, Mr. Dougher has strong leadership experience in a wide variety of financial matters including reporting, governance, strategy, and regulatory matters.

Former Vice Chairman, Activision Blizzard
Director Since: 2019
Central Garden & Pet Company Committee Membership: Compensation Committee; Investment Committee; Talent, Capabilities & Succession Committee

Mr. Griffith served as Vice Chairman of Activision Blizzard, Inc., a worldwide online, personal computer, console, handheld and mobile game publisher, from July 2010 to June 2016 and served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Activision Publishing, Inc. (prior to its merger with Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.), one of the world’s largest third-party video game publishers, from June 2005 to March 2010. Previously, he served in various executive positions at The Procter & Gamble Company, a multinational consumer goods corporation, including as President of the Global Beverage Division, Vice President and General Manager of Coffee Products, and Vice President and General Manager of Fabric & Home Care – Japan and Korea and Fabric & Home Care Strategic Planning – Asia. In addition, Mr. Griffith served as President and Chief Executive Officer of EAT Club, Inc., the largest business-focused online lunch delivery company in the United States, from June 2016 to March 2018. Mr. Griffith is also a director for Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc.

As a former senior executive of one of the leading multinational consumer products companies, Mr. Griffith brings extensive experience leading and managing many aspects of large consumer products companies.

Former CEO, Vista Outdoor, Inc.
Director Since: 2019

Mr. Metz has served as director and Chief Executive Officer for Vista Outdoor Inc., a publicly held leading global designer, manufacturer, from October 2017 until February 2023. Prior to joining Vista Outdoor Inc., he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Arctic Cat Inc., a manufacturer of all-terrain vehicles, recreational off-road vehicles and snowmobiles, from December 2014 to March 2017. He served as Managing Director of Sun Capital Partners Inc., a global private equity firm, from 2005 to July 2014. Prior to joining Sun Capital, Mr. Metz worked for Black & Decker, a manufacturer of power tools, accessories, hardware, home improvement products, and technology-based fastening systems for over 13 years, serving in a variety of capacities, including President of its Hardware and Home Improvement Group from 1999 to 2005.

Mr. Metz has extensive consumer products experience and proven leadership, strategic decision-making and business performance skills, and a background in private equity.

Former Executive Vice President Integrated Supply Chain, Mondelēz International
Director Since: 2021

Mr. Myers is currently a Senior Fellow at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam School of Business. He served as interim Chief Executive Officer of Packable Holdings, LLC from April 2022 until August 2022. Prior to that, he served as a Senior Operating Executive for the Carlyle Group. Mr. Myers served as the Executive Vice President of the global integrated supply chain of Mondelēz International from 2012 to 2019. Mr. Myers held the same position at Kraft Foods Inc., the predecessor to Mondelēz International, after joining that company in September 2011. Prior to Kraft Foods, he worked at Procter & Gamble for 33 years, serving in roles across all areas of the supply chain including as Vice President, Product Supply.

Mr. Myers has 25 years’ experience launching new brands, building operations and leading major global expansions.

Former President and Chief Executive Officer, Pennington Seed, Inc.
Director Since: 1998
Central Garden & Pet Company Committee Membership: Executive Committee, Investment Committee

Mr. Pennington served as the Company’s Chairman from February 2018 to September 2019 and has been Director of Special Projects for the Company since October 2006. From 1994 through September 2006, Mr. Pennington was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Pennington Seed, Inc., a business which was acquired by the Company in 1998. He also serves on the boards of several private companies.

Mr. Pennington has over 45 years of work experience in the lawn and garden industry, including 12 years as the former Chief Executive Officer of Pennington Seed, Inc.

Retired CEO, Central Garden & Pet Company
Director Since: 2010
Central Garden & Pet Company Committee Membership: Investment Committee; Digital Technology Committee; Talent, Capabilities & Succession Committee

Mr. Ranelli served as the Company's Chief Executive Officer from February 2013 to May 2016 and as Acting Principal Financial Officer from February 2016 to September 2016. He served as Chairman of the Board of Woolrich, Inc., a global apparel and accessories company, from 2011 until November 2016, and also served as Chief Executive Officer from March 2012 until October 2012. From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Ranelli was engaged in pursuing corporate acquisition opportunities while advising companies and private equity firms. From 2007 to 2008, Mr. Ranelli was Chief Executive Officer and President of Mikasa, Inc., a global dinnerware, crystal and home accessories company. From 1999 to 2006, he served as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of FGX International, an optical and jewelry company. Previously, he served in senior executive capacities with Stride Rite Corporation, Deckers Outdoor Corporation, TLC Beatrice and The Timberland Company. Mr. Ranelli serves on the Board of OrthoLite Holdings, LLC. He was a member of the Trilantic Capital Partners Advisory Board from 2017 to 2020.

As a former Chief Executive Officer of the Company and an experienced chief executive officer of consumer products companies and a chairman and director of public and private equity owned companies, Mr. Ranelli has deep knowledge about the Company and extensive experience leading and managing all aspects of mid-sized to large consumer products companies.

Former Executive Vice President and Officer, The Clorox Company
Director Since: 2013
Central Garden & Pet Company Committee Membership: Audit Committee, Compensation Committee; Target, Capabilities & Succession Committee

Since October 2020, Ms. Springer has served as the Company’s lead independent director. From 2009 to 2011, Ms. Springer served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of The Clorox Company. She served as Clorox’s Group Vice President – Strategy and Growth from 2007 until 2009. She was Group Vice President and General Manager, Specialty Division from 2005 to 2007 and Vice President and General Manager, Glad Products Business Unit from 2002 through 2004. Ms. Springer joined Clorox in 1990 as associate marketing manager for household products and subsequently held marketing positions of increasing responsibility. Ms. Springer also serves as an independent director of Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc., a natural health and wellness company, and Amy’s Kitchen, a privately-held organic food company.

As a former senior executive of one of the country’s leading consumer products companies, Ms. Springer brings significant experience in general management, marketing, sales and branding and many other aspects of the operations of a public consumer products company.