PHOENIX — PetSmart announced the appointment of Ken Hicks as president and chief executive officer, effective by the end of October. Hicks will also serve on the company’s board of directors. This news comes after the pet retailer announced at the end of September that J.K. Symancyk, former president, CEO and board member was stepping down from his role.
“On behalf of the entire board of directors, I am thrilled to welcome Ken Hicks to PetSmart,” said Raymond Svider, chairman of the board of directors of PetSmart and chairman of BC Partners. “His depth and breadth of retail experience, visionary leadership, and proven track record of creating shareholder value, will be invaluable as PetSmart continues to execute on its strategic growth plan.”
With experience in retail, Hicks previously served as CEO and executive chairman at Academy Sports + Outdoors where under his leadership the business achieved significant sales and profit margin growth, built a strong e-commerce business and completed an initial public offering. Prior to that, he served as CEO of Foot Locker. According to PetSmart, in both of these roles Hicks drove meaningful improvements in customer experience, which led to increased sales and profitability and resulted in substantial growth in market value.
“I am honored to be joining PetSmart and its talented team of pet-passionate associates,” Hicks said. “PetSmart has a strong position with its broad assortment of pet products and service offerings, the Treats Rewards program that offers exceptional value for pet parents, and an omni-channel customer experience that allows pet parents to engage with the brand in the manner most convenient to them, including in-store, through the PetSmart mobile app and same-day home delivery options. I am excited about the opportunities in front of us to continue to better serve pet parents and grow the company.”
Alan Schnaid, who has been serving as interim CEO, will continue serving as executive vice president and chief financial officer.
“On behalf of the board, I want to thank Alan for his service as interim chief executive officer,” Svider said. “Alan is an exemplary leader, and we are grateful for his continued dedication to PetSmart.”
Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.
