Robert J. Laikin co-founded Novus Capital Corporation and served as its Chairman from its inception in March 2020 until it merged with AppHarvest, Inc (NASDAQ:APPH) in February 2021. He has served as a director of AppHarvest since the merger. Mr. Laikin also has served as the Chief Executive Officer and a director of Novus Capital Corporation II (NYSE: NXU.U), a special purpose acquisition company, since its inception in September 2020. Mr. Laikin currently serves as the non-executive Chairman of the Board of Washington Prime Group Inc. (NYSE:WPG), where he has held a director role since May 2014. Additionally, he held the Lead Independent Director role at Washington Prime Group Inc. until the position was eliminated and he was subsequently named Chairman of the Board. Mr. Laikin also has been the managing member of L7 Investments LLC, a closely held company that invests primarily in multi-family apartments as well as single-purpose buildings, hotels, divestitures and single-family homes, since January 2015. Mr. Laikin served as Executive Advisor to the CEO and Government Relations Executive of Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE:IM), a wholesale technology distributor and supply chain management and mobile device lifecycle services company, from November 2012 to December 2019. Previously Mr. Laikin served as the founder, Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of Brightpoint, Inc. (NASDAQ:CELL) from August 1989 until it was acquired by Ingram Micro Inc. in November 2012. Mr. Laikin holds a Bachelor of Science from Indiana University.