John G. Brunner
Chairman and CEO

John G. Brunner is the third generation of the Brunner family to lead Vi-Jon, Inc., a personal care products and cosmetics company, founded in 1908 by his grandmother and grandfather, Viola and John.

John Brunner joined Vi-Jon, Inc. in 1978. Over the course of the next decade, he focused on each aspect of the company's operation, including manufacturing, purchasing, regulatory affairs, research and development, finance, distribution, and sales. In 1990 he was named President, in 1992, President and CEO, and Chairman and CEO in 2006.

Over the past 30 years, Vi-Jon has experienced solid growth, with distribution reaching internationally, including every major retailer in America. St. Louis University and an international accounting firm selected Vi-Jon as "The Business of the Year" among 150 competing companies. The company was included in the American Management Association book, Corporate Dandelions — How the Weed of Bureaucracy Is Choking American Companies—And What You Can do to Uproot It (as an example of a non-bureaucratic company).

The company continues to maintain its leadership position as the "low cost producer" by aggressively reinvesting in facilities and equipment, while expanding its speed-to-market capabilities. The operating priority is a focus to be "on-time and complete" (OTC) for each and every customer requirement. Drug Store News, Target, Wal-Mart Stores, and other retailers have recognized Vi-Jon as "Supplier of the Year".

Prior to joining Vi-Jon, John Brunner was an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a BS degree in Management from Harding University and an MBA from the John M. Olin School of Business Administration at Washington University. Brunner has also has completed Harvard Graduate School of Business Owner-President Management Program. With a passion for teaching, he has participated as a guest instructor at Harvard Business School, Wake Forest Graduate School of Management, Columbia Business School, and other educational institutions.

John Brunner is a Life Member of the United States Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association. He has served on the Board of Directors of Glenhaven Youth Ranch (Plainview, Arkansas), Students in Free Enterprise (Springfield, Missouri), Grace Evangelistic Ministries (Nashville, TN) and as a Trustee of the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas. He maintains a current certification as a Dive Master/Instructor as a member of the Professional Association of Dive Instructors. He has served as a board member and past president of the Board of Deacons at his church, and is extensively involved in community activities.

Kirk L. Sanders
President and Chief Administrative Officer

Kirk joined the Vi-Jon Team in 1996. Kirk has 35 years of experience in Sales, Materials Management, and President of container manufacturing companies. Kirk joined the Vi-Jon Team as Vice President of Operations becoming President in 2006. Kirk attended Clarkson College and Elmira College as well as other management classes at Harvard Business School. Kirk focuses on establishing metrics and monitoring our progress in goal attainment in various areas including customer satisfaction, cash management, sales, product development, cost of materials, and associate satisfaction. When asked what makes Vi-Jon successful, Kirk replies, "Our success has been based on setting and communicating, clear and well-defined goals."

Lou Laderman
Senior Vice President Corporate Development, Secretary & General Counsel

Lou joined the Vi-Jon Team in 2006, bringing with him over 30 years of experience as Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel for St. Louis-based United Industries/Spectrum Brands, a branded and private label consumer products company; and Vice President and General Counsel for Service Experts Inc., a NYSE-listed residential heating, air conditioning and ventilation operating company and industry consolidator. Lou began his career as a practicing attorney in St. Louis, specializing in corporate and commercial law, labor and employment law, municipal law, and litigation. Lou graduated cum laude from the Saint Louis University School of Law, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management, with a minor in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. As General Counsel, Lou focuses on all of Vi-Jon's legal business, including contracts, intellectual property and corporate matters. He is also focused on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and licensing in his Corporate Development role.

Robert "Bob" Hess
Chief Financial Officer

Bob joined the Vi-Jon Team in 1992. Bob has 25 years of experience in the accounting field, holding such positions as Accounting Manager, Assistant Controller, and working his way through the executive chain until reaching his current position. Bob graduated from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville in 1982, receiving his Bachelor Degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Accounting and Management Information Systems. In 1994 Bob received his Masters in Business Administration specializing in Finance, also from Southern Illinois University. Bob has also attended management classes at Harvard Business School. Bob focuses on cash management, banking relationships, company goals and monitoring of these goals, as well as strategic planning. When asked what makes the company a success, Bob replied "Encouraging and promoting ideas from all managers and associates has helped to make Vi-Jon the success it is today."

Alfonso Gioia
Chief Operating Officer

Al joined the Vi-Jon Team in 2000. Al has 31 years of progressive responsibilities in operations, much of which were with multiple plant responsibility with global companies including a work assignment in Europe. Al received his Bachelor's Degree in Business in 1974 at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York along with various other management classes taken at Harvard Business School, Kellogg School of Management & Sloan School of Management. Al's focuses are on supply chain metrics of inventory management, obsolescence avoidance, and controlling direct labor costs while achieving desired service levels for our customers, as well as optimizing enterprise resources.

Susan joined the Vi-Jon team in 2007. Susan has 22 years of experience as a leader in Human Resource management in a variety of environments (service, manufacturing, oil & gas, casino) and in the consumer packaged goods industries. Susan attended Southern Illinois University. Susan will focus her efforts in developing Vi-Jon’s expertise in areas of talent management, culture, communications, employee relations and organization development to provide the link between business and organizational strategies.

A native of Brazil, Eduardo joined the Vi-Jon team in 1994. For over fourteen years Eduardo has worked with every major retailer in North America to achieve Vi-Jon’s corporate goals. In 2008 Eduardo was promoted to Senior VP of Sales. In his previous position as Vi-Jon’s Wal-Mart Team Leader, Eduardo played a primary role in the establishment of the Bentonville based Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club Teams. Eduardo recently completed The Leadership Development Program at Harvard Business School. Eduardo’s goals are, "to focus on new business opportunities while building the right team to achieve success."

Roy Rosas
Chief Strategy Officer

Roy has been working with Vi-Jon since February of 2007 as a member of our private equity firm Berkshire Partners. Roy joined Berkshire Partners in 2007 as Vice President in the Portfolio Support Group to Berkshire's portfolio companies. Prior to joining Berkshire Partners, Roy served as Global Director, Emerging Markets at The Gillette Company/Procter & Gamble since 2004. Prior to his work at Gillette, Roy founded and was CEO of Reputation Technologies, a supply chain analytics enterprise software company. Earlier, he has led strategy management consulting teams with the Boston Consulting Group, and has been a marketing manager with Procter & Gamble.

He obtained his B.S. from the University of the Philippines, his M.S. from the National University of Singapore and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Roy has taken an additional role as Vi-Jon’s Chief Strategy Officer. Roy will assist the President and our Senior Executive Team on our organization’s key areas of strategic thinking, planning and execution to fulfill our growth targets; help develop the strategic growth plan; identify and pursue M&A opportunities that support the growth strategy; and support the development of Vi-Jon’s sales and marketing organizations.