Genius Brands Announces Appointment of Henry Sicignano III to the Board of Directors

Brings proven track record growing businesses and maximizing profitability

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., May 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genius Brands International, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNUS), a global brand management company that creates and licenses multimedia entertainment content for children, today announced the appointment of Henry Sicignano III to the Company’s board of directors.

Mr. Sicignano currently serves as the President of Charlie’s Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded consumer goods company with sales extending to more than 90 countries. Prior to this role, he served as Chief Executive Officer of 22nd Century Group, Inc., a publicly listed plant biotechnology company. Additionally, Mr. Sicignano served as General Manager at NOCO Energy Corp, as well as Vice President at Kittinger Furniture Company, Inc. He also served on the board of directors of Anandia Laboratories, Inc., which was acquired in 2018. Mr. Sicignano holds a B.A. degree from Harvard College and an M.B.A. degree from Harvard University.

Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of Genius Brands commented, "I am pleased to welcome Henry to the board of directors. He brings decades of senior executive experience, including a successful track record leading public and private companies. We believe his operational and capital markets experience will be invaluable at the board level, given our laser focus on driving revenue and maximizing profitability. Moreover, we look forward to benefiting from his background in consumer products, as we increase our focus on merchandising our growing brand portfolio. Overall, Henry brings fresh and independent insight to the board, and I believe his appointment illustrates our commitment to the highest levels of corporate governance."

Mr. Sicignano commented, "I am thrilled to join Genius Brands’ board of directors at this exciting time in the Company’s development. The children’s entertainment market is highly fragmented and there is a significant opportunity for a new leader to rise in this industry, especially one that is not encumbered by legacy operations. Toward this end, Genius Brands has embraced the latest technologies and new means of distribution. While the Company has experienced rapid growth, I also believe there are significant opportunities to further enhance profitability and maximize value for shareholders. The outlook for Genius Brands is exciting and I am honored to join the Company on this journey.”