Chief Executive Officer

COMPANY:
Midwest-based regional chain.

THE OPPORTUNITY:
The next CEO will have the opportunity to reinvigorate a treasured brand. They will get the chance to take a well-established Company to the next level, transforming its operations, image, and customer value proposition to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving and growing marketplace. They will have the opportunity to inspire a workforce that is experienced, dedicated, and invested in delivering a superior customer experience, growing sales, winning market share, boosting profits, and growing equity value. They will further embed the Company in the fabric of the state and become a pillar of the community.

REPORTS/RELATIONSHIPS:
This position will report directly to the Board Chairman.

BASIC FUNCTIONS:
The Chief Executive Officer must develop and ensure the successful execution of short-term strategies, develop long-term strategies, and provide leadership and oversight to drive sales and profitability for the business. In our competitive retail landscape, it is imperative that our CEO must have a vision for how to compete effectively in our marketplace and also develop strategies that will evolve to a leading competitive position and modernize the business.

Specific duties will include, but not necessarily be limited to:

Develop and Execute Existing Strategies / Develop Long-Term Strategies

Reassess and potentially redefine the existing mission, vision, and customer value proposition for the business, based on a comprehensive analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing the Company in its market.
Develop short- and long-term strategies that will support the mission and vision and meet the needs and objectives of all stakeholders while driving shareholder value.
Evaluate the marketplace to determine opportunities for growth which might include mergers, acquisitions, and/or new store development.
Oversee the development and implementation of human capital strategies that are aligned with our employee ownership business model to motivate employees, create career paths, support servant leadership, and facilitate succession planning from our front-line employee owners to the C-Suite.

Build and Lead Multi-Discipline Executive Team

Assess the current leadership team, including headquarters and field operations.
Build a sense of ownership and accountability that leverages the power of the employee ownership culture that results in an extraordinary experience for the customer at the point of sale.
Build and support a strong leadership team that is skilled, motivated, and incentivized to deliver on the short- and long-term goals of the Company, delegating authority and soliciting input throughout our employee ownership company structure.
Demonstrate an approach to leadership that displays a high level of emotional intelligence to engage and mobilize all parts of the organization in pursuit of the Company’s mission and strategic objectives.
Foster an environment that supports leadership development, training, and growth opportunities at all organizational levels—including the executive team, field team, and store employees—by ensuring the following:
Consistent communication of the Company vision, strategy, and values to all stakeholders.
Reinforcement and recognition of behaviors that contribute to delivering an exceptional customer experience.
Clear evaluation methods and career pathing for all store team members.
Development of training programs that elevate employee knowledge and skills and enhance their current and future compensation, wealth, and wellbeing.
Participation in the recruitment, selection, and training of new team leaders.

Achieve Financial Results

Develop short- and long-term financial plans along with appropriate strategies for achieving those plans.
Monitor results and drive actions to meet the short- and long-term financial plans.
Ensure sales plans and capital budgets are built in a collaborative, “bottom-up” manner with local store leadership.
Create processes and install systems that will support operational and financial management to achieve the sales plans and capital budgets of the Company.

IMPERATIVES FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS:

Improve sales, gross margin, and customer count trends above post-pandemic levels.
Clarify, launch, and operationalize a compelling customer value proposition (CVP).
Establish a store operating model linked to the CVP supported by a change management program linking KPIs, labor models, process, technology, and rewards.
Establish a real estate strategy integrating capital expenditure investments for store remodels, new stores, and general maintenance.
Institute employee programs that create a measurably more engaged and productive workforce through the lens of an ESOP.

REQUIREMENTS:

Demonstrated track record of developing and achieving financial plans in a sizeable retail business.
History of successfully leading businesses facing diverse challenges.
Experience to include operations, merchandising, and/or marketing.
Financially astute with an ability to think creatively regarding debt, equity, and other capital financing structures.
Exemplify strong values and high performance standards compatible with the culture of our employee-owned Company while remaining adaptable and solution oriented.
Servant-minded leadership with strong emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and empathy that inspires confidence and calm under pressure.
Results-oriented, with deep and relevant industry understanding and experience.
Skilled in data-informed decision making, balancing analytical rigor with timely, decisive action.
Clear, authentic communicator who listens actively, communicates transparently, and builds trust through credibility and influence.
Collaborative and inclusive; seeks diverse input and aligns our employee owners around shared goals.
Familiarity leading in a unionized environment preferred.

COMPENSATION:
Compensation will be commensurate with experience including a competitive base salary, bonus opportunity, equity, and competitive benefits package.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Gregory Lynn Tennent, Consultant
gltennent@CLCBsearch.com
704.377.0362