SEATTLE, Feb. 25, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Nile, Inc. (Nasdaq:NILE), a leading online jeweler, today announced the addition of Robert van Schoonenberg to its Board of Directors, effective February 23, 2015.
Mr. van Schoonenberg is chairman and chief executive officer of BayPoint Capital Partners, LLC, a private equity firm, and a co-managing partner of AmeriCap Partners LLC, a growth capital investment firm. Prior to sale of the company to a strategic investor in June 2010, he was an investor in and served as chairman of Premiere Entertainment, LLC, a company in the business of digital broadcast production, specializing in special event coverage and live red carpet premiere broadcasts for Internet exhibition. In addition, Mr. van Schoonenberg serves on the board of directors of Ryland Group, Inc., a national home building company; Guidance Software, Inc., a digital forensic and cybersecurity company; and Live Media Group, LLC, a multimedia company specializing in the production and delivery of live entertainment and music events to television, in-theatre, the Internet, and mobile devices. He previously served on the board of directors of Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc., a manufacturer of nano-based products.
"Bob's deep experience in corporate strategy, board work and governance roles makes him a valuable addition to Blue Nile's board and an advantage for the company as we work to build our global brand," said Harvey Kanter, Blue Nile President, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer.
Previously, Mr. van Schoonenberg served for 27 years as executive vice president, chief legal officer, and secretary to the board of directors of Avery Dennison Corporation, a Fortune 500 labeling and packaging materials and solutions company. While at Avery Dennison, he led the company's mergers and acquisitions activities and negotiated acquisition of 45 domestic and international companies with combined revenues of $3 billion. Before joining Avery Dennison, Mr. van Schoonenberg was a member of the corporate general counsel's executive staff at Gulf Oil Corporation.
In addition, Mr. van Schoonenberg is on the board of directors of explorOcean, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing K-12 education programs for students; a trustee of Southwestern University Law School; on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Music Center Fraternity of Friends; a member of the Audit Committee Round Table of Orange County; and a district legal officer in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Mr. van Schoonenberg graduated with a B.A. in economics from Marquette University, received an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School.
With the addition of Mr. van Schoonenberg, there will be nine members on Blue Nile's board of directors.
About Blue Nile, Inc.
Blue Nile, Inc. is a leading online jeweler. The company offers a smarter way to buy engagement rings, wedding rings, and fine jewelry by providing in-depth educational materials and unique online tools that place consumers in control of the jewelry shopping process. Blue Nile has some of the highest quality standards in the industry and offers thousands of independently certified diamonds and fine jewelry at prices significantly below traditional retail. Blue Nile can be found online at www.bluenile.com. Blue Nile's shares are traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC under the symbol NILE.