Essential Living Foods is extremely proud of its team members. We
feel that our excellent business performance comes from only one place –
our employees and all of their hard work, dedication and devotion. We
strive for a positive and uplifting work environment where people are
relaxed yet hard working, passionate about healthy foods and healing
the planet, professional and driven to high performance and results.
Our executive team has diverse backgrounds and skill sets, creating a well balance team to drive our mission of sustainable business – profitable, with positive social impact, and ecological sensitivity.
Kipp Stroden, Chairman and CEO
Prior to joining Essential Living Foods in 2006, Kipp spent
20 years as a highly successful entrepreneur and international
production and artist manager. During this time, he launched a
number of profitable companies including Innerspace Design, a
commercial and residential design and construction company where he
acted as chief designer and project manager. Kipp also launched
Cool Therapy Records & Management where he created and implemented
grassroots marketing strategies for its independent artists and took a
number of them from anonymity to national touring acts and placement
in major movie soundtracks. Mr. Stroden also produced major music
festivals with artists such as: James Taylor, Widespread Panic, Carly
Simon, James Brown, Blues Traveler, Willie Nelson, Stephen Stills,
Robert Cray, Primus, Ziggy Marley.
Kipp also founded Iris Records, home of Ben Taylor (Son of James Taylor and Carly Simon) and simultaneously Force of Nature Enterprises was started and served as the management firm that handled all aspects of Ben Taylor’s career. The Company evolved into fundraising, marketing, strategic partnerships and business development for entertainment, alternative energy, natural products and media companies.
Kipp's company, Force of Nature, was hired to produce the opening ceremonies for United Nations World Environment Day featuring over 50 clean tech companies displaying the newest innovations in cutting edge green technology culminating in the gala event for Governor Schwarzenegger’s signing of Executive Order S-3-05 which established greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets for the state of California.
In, 2005, Kipp joined Essential Living Foods to pursue his lifelong passion for improving the quality of life on earth for all living things through healthy living and protecting the planet's ecosystem. He brings a vast network of business associates in the natural products industry, entertainment and finance to drive capital, develop strategic relationships and build new business for Essential Living Foods. His experience in building teams, raising equity financing, grass roots marketing and creating strategic partnerships has been instrumental in growing Essential Living Foods. Kipp graduated with a BA in Economics from Skidmore College.
Michael Harleman, CFO
Mr. Harleman began working at Essential Living Foods in February 2006 as ELF’s controller, as well as overseeing its day-to-day operations. Before joining Essential Living Foods, Mr. Harleman was manager of financial operations for Anthem San Francisco, a subsidiary of Anthem Worldwide (a branding and design company for consumer packaging), a subdivision of Schawk, Inc. (NYSE: SGK). Before working at Anthem Worldwide, Mr. Harleman was director of operations for CPC, a large transportation and parking company in Northern California. At CPC, Mr. Harleman managed operations for all company accounts which included top hotels, five-star restaurants, large special events and festivals. Mr. Harleman also managed the personnel of the Company, which included over 200 employees and ten managers.
