Summit Capital Appoints Donald W. Sutherland as New Director

Online, November 1, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Summit Capital announced today that it has appointed Donald W. Sutherland to its Board of Directors effective today. Mr. Sutherland brings over 30 years of pioneering business vision and experience to Summit Capital's Board. Gregg Johnson, CEO of Summit Capital said "Mr. Sutherland adds a new depth of entrepreneurial vision to our business. His experiences in creating a world-class brand from a small start-up typifies the American Spirit of entrepreneurship and what Summit Capital is all about - bringing Entrepreneurs and Capital Together."
Mr. Sutherland has a long history of profitable entrepreneurial start-ups and successful business operations. Mr. Sutherland was educated at the University of Houston, TX where he studied engineering and accounting. Following his education, Mr. Sutherland served a two-year mission to Argentina before returning to Houston where he later started his career in sales. In 1978 Mr. Sutherland started his first business, an art gallery called Pictures Beautiful in Houston, TX that he successfully operated for 10 years. In 1988 Mr. Sutherland and his wife Susan moved to Mesa, AZ where he later co-founded a fledgling ice cream retailer called Cold Stone Creamery (www.coldstonecreamery.com) with his wife. The Sutherlands fundamentally redefined ice cream after opening their first store in 1988 in Tempe, AZ, and they personally operated the original location until February of 2004. Mr Sutherland served in many capacities within the Cold Stone Creamery organization since its incorporation in October 1988, including Director and Chairman of the Board. The Sutherland's were featured on TV's "Oprah" on January 15, 2008 on the episode "Faces Behind the Name" as a nod to the significant success in building the Cold Stone Creamery brand. When Mr. Sutherland sold his interest in Cold Stone Creamery in 2007, the company's operations comprised more than 1,400 retail stores with 800 more stores in the development pipeline. Since the sale of his ice cream retail empire, often noted as the "largest private ice cream retailer in the world", Mr. Sutherland and his wife co-founded Divine Nature ( www.divinenature.com ), a company operating in Mesa, AZ that formulates, distributes and sells nutraceutical products. Mr. Sutherland is active in his local community, and has been a benefactor of many charitable causes across the US and around the world. Mr. Sutherland resides in Mesa, AZ with his wife Susan.