Governance
Governance
Rivanna Natural Designs, Inc. is a for-profit corporation, founded on July 3, 2001, under the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (Title 13.1, Chapter 9). The company was established with the authority to issue 5,000 shares of common stock. Crystal A. Mario, the company's sole founder, director, and shareholder, was issued 100 shares of stock at incorporation.
Benefit Corporation Status
On July 1, 2011, the day that Benefit Corporation legislation took effect in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Rivanna amended its Articles of Incorporation to become a Virginia Benefit Corporation (Article 22, Chapter 9). In our amended articles, we stated that the company’s primary purpose is to design, manufacture, and distribute awards and giftware while considering the impact of its decisions on all stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, community, and the environment—not just shareholders.
As required by law, Rivanna provides an annual narrative report describing our pursuit of public benefit, measurable outcomes, and any barriers to progress.
View our most recent Impact Report.
Capital Structure
On November 10, 2015, in alignment with our public benefit mission, the company amended its Articles to authorize two classes of stock:
- 2,550 shares of Voting Common (Class A)
- 2,450 shares of Non-voting Common (Class B)
On January 1, 2016, 24 shares of Class B stock were issued to Gretchen A. Wirth, Vice President of Business Development, in recognition of her valuable contributions to the company.
Statement of Beneficial Ownership
As of January 1, 2016, Rivanna Natural Designs, Inc. has 124 shares of common stock outstanding:
- Crystal A. Mario, founder, CEO, and sole director, owns 100 shares of Voting Class A common stock. She is a U.S. citizen and resident of Virginia.
- Gretchen A. Wirth, Vice President of Business Development, owns 24 shares of Non-voting Class B common stock. She is a U.S. citizen and resident of California.
Any changes in beneficial ownership will be disclosed on this page within 30 days of occurrence.
Why This Statement Matters
We believe transparent corporate ownership is critical to ethical business. Anonymous ownership structures have been linked to fraud, corruption, and environmental abuse. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s 2024 National Strategy for Combating Terrorist and Other Illicit Financing, the lack of beneficial ownership transparency is “the single most important gap in the U.S. anti-money laundering regime.”
Even as federal rules regarding beneficial ownership transparency continue to evolve, we voluntarily disclose our ownership—because transparency builds trust, strengthens supply chains, and supports accountability to all stakeholders.
In short: you deserve to know who owns the companies you support.
Board of Directors
Rivanna currently does not maintain a formal Board of Directors or outside governing body. We welcome inquiries from stakeholders interested in participating in a future Advisory Board.