WESTBOROUGH, Mass.,
Dec. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/
-- BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. (BJ's) announced today that
Christopher J. Baldwin, BJ's
President and Chief Operating Officer, has been named President and
Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Laura
J. Sen, who is assuming the role of Non-Executive Chairman.
The appointment is effective February 1,
2016.
Mr. Baldwin will assume responsibility for the ongoing
operations of BJ's, while Ms. Sen will join BJ's other Board
Members in setting the long term strategic direction of the
Company. Mr. Baldwin will report to the Company's Board of
Directors and both he and Ms. Sen will remain members of the BJ's
Board.
"I am grateful to have spent over 25 years with this great
company, and feel privileged to have led it for the last seven,"
said Ms. Sen. "I am proud of what our team has accomplished
together during these many years. I believe BJ's is operationally
strong and well positioned for continued success. In a very short
period Chris has demonstrated the necessary vision and leadership
to take BJ's to the next level. Together we have laid out a
strategy for the Company that will serve us for many years to come,
and I believe now is the right time for Chris to assume his place
as leader of BJ's," Ms. Sen concluded.
Baldwin joined BJ's in September as President and Chief
Operating Officer. He brought more than 30 years of
experience as an executive in the retail and consumer products
industries. Before joining BJ's, he was CEO of Hess Retail
Corporation, prior to its successful sale to Marathon Petroleum
Corporation. Before joining Hess, Baldwin served in a variety
of executive level roles at Kraft Foods (Nabisco), The Hershey
Company, and Procter and Gamble.
"I am humbled and excited by this opportunity to lead BJ's,"
said Baldwin. "This is both a challenging time for retail and
one full of opportunity. Our guide over the next several years will
be a vision that is steadfastly focused on offering a distinctive
shopping experience and deep value proposition to BJ's millions of
loyal members. With the support of BJ's team members, I look
forward to leading our company to even higher levels of
achievement," Baldwin concluded.
Cameron Breitner, Partner of CVC
Capital Partners, said, "We are extremely grateful for Laura's
leadership over the past several years and her many contributions
to BJ's success. Chris is an inspired leader and his broad
experiences qualify him to step in to this role. He is
well-respected within BJ's and across the industry, and his
personal style fits well with the company's core values."
Jonathan Seiffer, Senior Partner
at Leonard Green & Partners, said, "Thanks to Laura's
leadership and vision, BJ's has been a highly successful investment
since our take-private transaction in 2011. Our firm has a
deep history of investing in outstanding retail businesses, and we
are confident that Chris will build on the strong foundation that
will be Laura's legacy.'
About BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
Headquartered in Westborough,
Massachusetts, BJ's is a leading operator of membership
warehouse clubs in the Eastern United
States. The company currently operates 211 clubs and 126 gas
stations in 15 states.
BJ's provides a one-stop shopping destination filled with more
top-quality, leading brands including its exclusive Wellsley Farms
and Berkley Jensen brands, which are all backed by BJ's 100%
money-back guarantee; more fresh foods from USDA Choice meats to
premium produce to delicious organics in many supermarket sizes;
and more great value and amazing savings every day. BJ's is also
the only membership club to accept all manufacturers' coupons and
for greater convenience offers the most payment options.
To check out all the MORE BJ's has to offer, visit www.BJs.com
and for exclusive content find us on Facebook, Twitter and
Pinterest.
BJ's is wholly owned by affiliates of Leonard Green &
Partners, CVC Capital Partners and its management team.
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SOURCE BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.