“I am honored to join Petco as Chief Financial Officer and look forward to working closely with Joel and the broader leadership team in creating long-term value for our shareholders.” said Simmons. “I believe deeply in the company’s mission to improve the lives of pets and pet parents and see significant opportunity to strengthen our leadership position in the category.”
Previously, Simmons served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Gap, Inc. where she supported a multi-year operational transformation and delivered significant margin expansion and shareholder value. Simmons currently serves on the Board of Directors of Columbia Sportswear Company as well as the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of Coursera, Inc., and previously served on the Board of Directors of Williams-Sonoma Inc. and e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s degree in business administration from the Anderson School at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Michael Romanko
Romanko is a proven retail executive with a track record for product development, branding, sourcing and value creation, and has held executive-level roles across the c-suite for leading consumer brands. He will oversee marketing, customer insights, product development, global sourcing and owned brands in his role as Chief Customer and Product Officer.
“Petco has long been an industry leader known for making a difference in its customers’ lives,” said Romanko. “I am excited about what this new role unlocks to elevate the Petco brand, including the opportunity to source new, unique and trendy products while delivering a completely new experience for our customers.”
Prior to joining Petco, Romanko was the Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Five Below, Inc., a role he held for a decade. At Five Below, Michael oversaw merchandising strategy and operations including product development as the Company grew to over $3.5 billion in sales from approximately $500 million. Romanko has more than 30 years of retail industry experience, having also served as Chief Design Officer for Patriarch Partners where he was responsible for merchandise line building and sourcing and design for 75 businesses.
Jack Stout
Stout holds more than 20 years of merchandising, planning, category management and logistics experience in senior roles in the consumer goods industry. Since July 2024, Jack has been serving as Petco’s Interim Chief Merchandising Officer. He will continue to lead global merchandise planning and strategy across aspects of the business in his official appointment.
“I am thrilled to be a part of Petco at such a pivotal time for the company as we work to strengthen retail fundamentals and improve our merchandising capabilities,” commented Stout. “There is so much opportunity to build on Petco’s strong foundation and I look forward to even deeper partnership with the leadership team as we work to realize our full potential as a best-in-class retailer.”
Stout previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer at 7-Eleven, Inc. where he led the company’s merchandising operations, including category management, new product introductions, new category and profit center development and fresh food innovation. Before joining 7-Eleven, he served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, achieving the rank of Captain. He was awarded the Air Force Commendations Medal and selected as a Professional Performer by the Inspector General. Stout graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He also holds a master’s degree in applied statistics from Wright State University and a master’s degree in business administration from Duke University.
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