M. William Cleman

M. William Cleman is the Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Fund and New Look Eyewear Inc. He is an experienced operating and financial executive in the retail and real estate sectors.

Mr. Cleman is a corporate director, including for Hart Inc., and consultant. He retired as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bouclair Inc., a Montreal based retail chain in the home furnishings sector, in 2003. He was a director of Benvest from 2004 until the conversion of the company into an income fund.

Previously, Mr. Cleman had held senior positions at Bouclair since 1994. From 1989 to 1994, he was a partner in Cleman Ludmer Steinberg Inc., a merchant bank. From 1971 to 1989, Mr. Cleman had a successful career at Steinberg Inc., a major food retailer and real estate company.

His title at the time of his departure in 1989 was Executive Vice President, Steinberg and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ivanhoe Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University (B. Comm., 1970) and a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Western Ontario (MBA, 1972).