DICK's Sporting Goods Shakes Up Executive Team
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
Changes come even as chain capitalizes on turmoil in the sporting goods market.
DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. is experiencing a high as it capitalizes on the current turmoil in the sporting goods market. Last year’s bankruptcy of rival Sports Authority helped boost DICK’s sales and position, as it won intellectual property rights and some store leases in its wake. Golfsmith also exited the market last year, giving DICK’s a larger share of the marketplace.
Yet, DICK’s is not resting on its laurels and taking its success for granted. Recently, the chain announced a number of executive shakeups, starting with the pending retirement of Chief Operating Officer André Hawaux. Hawaux joined the retailer four years ago from ConAgra, and he plans to remain with the Company through the second quarter this year, according to a company press release.
In other shifts, Chief Marketing Officer Lauren Hobart has been appointed president effective immediately, reporting to CEO Edward Stack, while Don Germano will return on May 30 as SVP of stores operations, reporting to Hobart. Germano previously led the company's stores operations, from 2010 through 2013. As President, Ms. Hobart will continue to lead the Company's customer and digital efforts, overseeing Marketing, eCommerce and DICK'S Team Sports HQ, and will assume responsibility for the Stores.
Edward Stack, Chairman and CEO said, "Lauren is credited with elevating the DICK'S brand, leading the development of DICK'S Team Sports HQ and building the Calia by Carrie Underwood brand. She also was instrumental in the creation of The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation. Lauren's extensive leadership experience will be essential to the continued growth and success of the Company."
And Keri Jones will join the Company on May 22 as Chief Merchant, also reporting to Stack.
DICK’s Sporting Goods also recently was honored as an Innovative Industry Leader by the Retail TouchPoints Store Operations Superstar Award and the Innovative Retail Technologies Retailer Innovation Award for exemplary innovation and leadership in 2016. DICK's Sporting Goods was honored in the Retail TouchPoints Store Operations Superstars category of Loss Prevention for its use of IP video surveillance and RFID technology for loss prevention in stores. This leading sports and fitness specialty retailer was an early adopter of both technologies, including Sensormatic Synergy storefront detection system, and DICK's innovative use of LP technologies to advance the shopper experience revolutionized how the company successfully utilizes new IoT store data.
In the Innovative Retail Technologies Retail Innovators awards, DICK's Sporting Goods won in the Loss Prevention category. The company's innovative use of technology including migration to IP video, data analytics, EAS and RFID supports their overall LP strategy in protecting the brand. Leveraging RFID technology for LP drives a much bigger benefit beyond just shrink reduction, and is also foundational to the company's larger omni-channel initiatives and store fulfillment strategies.