Tradewinds Universal (OTC:TRWD), a publicly traded holding company, today announced that it has formally appointed Alan Chang as a Director and member of its Board of Directors. Mr. Chang is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Peppermint Hippo and the leader of TRWD’s Experiential Hospitality Division, which is focused on the adult nightlife sector.
Mr. Chang has served on the Company’s Advisory Board since September 2025. With today’s appointment, he transitions from that advisory capacity to a permanent, official seat on the Board of Directors — a step that formalizes his role at the center of the Company’s leadership and long-term strategy, and positions him to eventually assume the role of CEO of Tradewinds Universal.
Mr. Chang founded Peppermint Hippo in 2018 and built it into one of the fastest-rising brands in adult nightlife, with 12-plus venues nationwide anchored by the only gentlemen’s club on the Las Vegas Strip. His proven acquisition-and-turnaround model serves as the operating foundation of TRWD’s expansion strategy.
This appointment represents the first in a series of anticipated board and executive changes the Company expects to announce as it executes its strategy and reaches additional milestones. TRWD intends to continue strengthening its leadership and governance to support disciplined, scalable growth and to build long-term value for shareholders.
“Alan’s formal appointment to our Board is one of the most significant milestones in the Company’s history,” said Andrew Read, CEO of TRWD. “He has built a real, recognized brand with a disciplined operating model and a track record of turning underperforming venues into high-performing destinations. Having him move from advisor to Director gives shareholders direct, board-level leadership from the operator who knows this industry better than anyone. He is exactly the kind of leader we want guiding this company forward.”
“I’ve believed in this vision from the beginning, and stepping into a formal seat on the Board reflects my full commitment to building Tradewinds Universal into the defining platform in this industry,” said Alan Chang, Director and founder and CEO of Peppermint Hippo. “I intend to build an empire — and to bring this industry into the mainstream, where it belongs. We have an enormous opportunity to consolidate and modernize a fragmented market, and I intend to help lead this company forward with the same discipline and standards that built Peppermint Hippo.”
More About Alan Chang
Alan Chang is a recognized leader in the adult hospitality and nightlife industry with more than two decades of operating experience. He founded Peppermint Hippo in 2018 and grew it from a single club in Toledo, Ohio into one of the fastest-rising brands in the sector — a national portfolio of 12-plus venues anchored by a 27,000-square-foot flagship on the Las Vegas Strip, the only gentlemen’s club of its kind in that corridor. The flagship holds the highest Google rating of any club in Las Vegas and has earned back-to-back “Best of Las Vegas” Gold Awards in 2024 and 2025.
Central to Mr. Chang’s track record is a proven, repeatable turnaround model that acquires underperforming or non-operational venues and converts them into upscale, brand-consistent destinations — the operating discipline now driving TRWD’s expansion strategy. Over nearly two decades in the industry, he has developed deep expertise in multi-unit operations, acquisitions, and brand building, including a General Manager role within RCI Hospitality, a leading publicly traded operator in the nightlife and hospitality sector. He is also an active industry voice, recently appearing as a featured guest on the Dropping Bombs podcast with Brad Lea.
About Peppermint Hippo
Founded in 2018 by Alan Chang, Peppermint Hippo has grown from a single club in Toledo, Ohio, into one of the fastest-rising names in nightlife entertainment. The opening of its flagship Las Vegas location in 2022 — the only club of its kind on the Strip — cemented its reputation as an industry leader. Today, Peppermint Hippo and its affiliated entities, including Las Tóxicas, operate over 12 clubs nationwide, with ten proudly carrying the Peppermint Hippo name. Each location delivers a “Mini-Vegas” experience through upscale design, professional entertainment, and elevated hospitality. Visit ThePeppermintHippo.com for more information.
About Tradewinds Universal
Tradewinds Universal (OTCID: TRWD) is a fully reporting, publicly traded holding company focused on acquiring and scaling businesses with long-term value and growth potential. From its beginnings in lifestyle and health to its expansion into hospitality and entertainment, including strategic arrangements with operating partners, TRWD is building a diversified portfolio designed to withstand economic cycles while creating sustainable shareholder value. The Company’s acquisition strategy emphasizes transparency, operational efficiency, and the development of recession-resistant holdings across multiple sectors.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding TRWD’s operational plans, acquisition timing, revenue expectations, growth prospects, expansion targets, and anticipated strategic developments. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the Company’s ability to consummate acquisitions, obtain necessary licensing and regulatory approvals, integrate acquired businesses, access capital on favorable terms, achieve projected revenue targets, and navigate general economic and market conditions, including geopolitical uncertainty. Revenue figures attributed to Peppermint Hippo and affiliated brands reflect the performance of entities that are not yet wholly owned subsidiaries of TRWD; actual revenue contribution to TRWD’s consolidated financial statements will depend on the timing and completion of definitive acquisition agreements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Tradewinds Universal disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
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