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Herb Zarkin, BJ's chairman and CEO, retains a number of key responsibilities, including leading the Company's strategic planning, management succession and chain expansion efforts. He will continue to work closely with Ms. Sen and the senior management team.
"Laura Sen has been an important part of BJ's success through most of its history, and she has broad experience that will be tremendously important to its future," said Mr. Zarkin. "I look forward to working with Laura as she assumes additional responsibilities through an orderly transition of leadership. She is surrounded by an outstanding team with a proven record of success."
Ms. Sen, 51, played key roles in growing BJ's from an early stage business to a Fortune 500 company. She joined BJ's in 1989 and served as executive vice president of merchandising and logistics from 1997 to 2003. She returned to the Company in January 2007.
The Company also announced the restructuring of its merchandising division under the leadership of Christina Neppl, who will succeed Ms. Sen as executive vice president of merchandising and logistics. Bruce Graham, senior vice president, general merchandising manager of consumables, will assume additional responsibilities as general merchandising manager of perishables, and Mark Titlebaum will become senior vice president, general manager of general merchandise, a position that has been vacant. Robert Eddy, senior vice president of finance, will assume responsibility for the financial departments formerly managed by Ms. Neppl.
A graduate of Boston College, Ms. Sen has nearly 30 years of experience in mass retailing, including service with Zayre Corporation and Jordan Marsh Company. She has served on the boards of Abington Bancorp, Inc. and the Saint Coletta and Cardinal Cushing Schools of Massachusetts, Inc. She also provides support to non-profit organizations including the Women's Inn at Pine Street, the Neely House and the Cardinal Cushing Centers Springtime Event.
Mr. Zarkin, 69, who has been a director of the Company since November 1996 and chairman of the board since 1997, has served as president and chief executive officer since March 2007 after becoming interim CEO in November 2006. From 1993 to 1997, he served as president, chief executive officer and director of Waban Inc., which operated BJ's Wholesale Club.
Ms. Neppl, 47, has 20 years of experience in the wholesale club industry and most recently has served as BJ's Wholesale Club's senior vice president and controller. She will report directly to Ms. Sen, who will remain responsible for merchandise strategy. A graduate of Boston College and a CPA, Ms. Neppl worked in public accounting before joining Zayre Corporation, previously the parent company of BJ's.
"Chris Neppl brings an important perspective to her new role," said Mr. Zarkin. "As a result of her previous position as controller, she has strong relationships with our merchant, logistics and distribution organizations and is keenly focused on the margins of the merchandise we sell."
Mr. Graham, 55, joined BJ's Wholesale Club in 1985 and has held a succession of positions of increasing responsibility, including assistant vice president of grocery and sundries, vice president of all chain grocery departments and sundries, and, most recently, senior vice president of consumables. Mr. Graham is a graduate of the State University of New York, Buffalo and earned his MBA degree from Canisius College.
Mr. Titlebaum, 44, joined BJ's Wholesale Club in 1985 as an assistant buyer in the merchandising department and advanced through a succession of positions, most recently as vice president and divisional merchandise manager of consumables. He is a graduate of the University Massachusetts, Amherst with a degree in political science.
Mr. Eddy, 35, joined BJ's Wholesale Club in July 2007 from PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he was a member of the retail audit team for 12 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Babson College.
BJ's introduced the wholesale club concept to New England in 1984, and has since expanded to become a leading warehouse chain in the eastern United States. The Company currently operates 177 clubs in 16 states. BJ's press releases and filings with the SEC are available on the Internet at www.bjs.com.
SOURCE: BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. Cathy Maloney, 508-651-6650 VP Investor Relations cmaloney@bjs.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008