First Solar, Inc. announced that it nominated two new candidates for election to the Company’s Board of Directors and that it has expanded the size of the Board to eleven from nine, creating two vacancies as it continues to seek additional independent directors. As detailed in its Proxy Statement, which was filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission, First Solar nominated George “Chip” Hambro and Richard “Rick” Chapman to stand for election to the Board at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which will be held on May 23, 2012. Chapman will serve as an independent director.
To fill the two new vacancies, First Solar has retained an executive search firm to help identify candidates with experience that will support the company’s strategy to compete as a vertically integrated provider of photovoltaic power plants in energy markets that are sustainable without subsidies.
The company also announced that José Villarreal, a director since 2007, will retire from the Board due to personal commitments and will not seek reelection at the Annual Meeting.
“We are pleased to be adding two distinguished candidates to the First Solar Board of Directors. Chip and Rick are both knowledgeable about First Solar’s strategy and operations and have diverse experience and expertise that will make them valuable additions to our board. We are also committed to further expanding our board by adding two additional independent directors to support our long-term strategic plan,” said Mike Ahearn, First Solar’s Chairman and Interim CEO. “On behalf of the First Solar Board of Directors, I extend my gratitude to José, who has been an engaged and dedicated Director for the past five years.”
Chapman, 58, is CFO of Walton Enterprises, Inc., where he has worked since 1983. In his current capacity, Chapman oversees all aspects of the Walton Family Office in Arkansas. Chapman currently serves as a director on the boards of the Arvest Bank Group; the University of Arkansas Foundation, where he serves on the Executive and Finance Committees; and the Razorback Foundation, where he is a member of the Investment Committee. Chapman was previously a member of the Board of Managers of First Solar Holdings, LLC prior to the Company’s initial public offering and JWMA (formerly True North Partners, L.L.C.), an equity investment firm. Chapman earned a B.S.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Arkansas and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Hambro, 48, previously held various positions at First Solar from June 2001 through June 2009, including serving as Chief Operating Officer from February 2005 through May 2007. Prior to joining First Solar, he held the positions of Vice President of Engineering & Business Development for Goodrich Aerospace from May 1999 to June 2001 and Vice President of Operations for ITT Industries from February 1997 to May 1999. For the last five years, Hambro has been a director of both the Toledo Zoo and Imagination Station, Toledo’s children’s science museum. Hambro currently serves on the board of directors of Soladigm, Inc., a developer of next-generation green building solutions. Hambro graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a B.A. in Physical Science (Applied Physics).
