Elias M. Culucundis has been a member of our board of directors since our inception. Since 2002, Mr. Culucundis has been a member of the board of directors of Folli Follie S.A. and since 2006 an executive member of the board of directors of Hellenic Duty Free Shops S.A. Since 1999, Mr. Culucundis has been president, chief executive officer and director of Equity Shipping Company Ltd., a company specializing in starting, managing and operating commercial and technical shipping projects. Additionally, from 1996 to 2000, he was a director of Kassian Maritime Shipping Agency Ltd., a vessel management company operating a fleet of ten bulk carriers. During this time, Mr. Culucundis was also a director of Point Clear Navigation Agency Ltd, a marine project company. From 1981 to 1995, Mr. Culucundis was a director of Kassos Maritime Enterprises Ltd., a company engaged in vessel management. While at Kassos, he was initially a technical director and eventually ascended to the position of chief executive officer, overseeing a large fleet of Panamax, Aframax and VLCC tankers, as well as overseeing new vessel building contracts, specifications and the construction of new vessels. From 1971 to 1980, Mr. Culucundis was a director and the chief executive officer of Off Shore Consultants Inc. and Naval Engineering Dynamics Ltd. Off Shore Consultants Inc. worked in Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel, or FPSO, design and construction and responsible for the technical and commercial supervision of a pentagon-type drilling rig utilized by Royal Dutch Shell plc. Seven FPSOs were designed and constructed that were subsequently utilized by Pertamina, ARCO, Total and Elf-Aquitaine. Naval Engineering Dynamics Ltd. was responsible for purchasing, re-building and operating vessels that had suffered major damage. From 1966 to 1971, Mr. Culucundis was employed as a Naval Architect for A.G. Pappadakis Co. Ltd., London, responsible for tanker and bulk carrier new buildings and supervising the technical operation of our fleet. He is a graduate of Kings College, Durham University, Great Britain, with a degree in Naval Architecture and Shipbuilding. He is a member of several industry organizations, including the Council of the Union of Greek Shipowners and American Bureau of Shipping. Mr. Culucundis is a fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and a Chartered Engineer.