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KATY, Texas — Michelle Gloeckler has stepped down as Walmart U.S. executive vice president of consumables, health and wellness to become executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Michelle Gloeckler
She was also named president of Academy International Ltd., the $4.6 billion sports, outdoor and lifestyle retailer’s global sourcing entity.
At Walmart, Gloeckler led merchandising strategies in areas including beauty, personal care, pet care, household paper and chemicals, baby, over-the-counter drugs, pharmacy and optical care. She also led U.S. manufacturing and supplier training functions for the company’s $250 billion domestic sourcing initiative.
During her seven years at Walmart, Gloeckler held a variety of roles, including senior vice president of home, U.S. manufacturing lead, senior vice president of merchandise execution, and vice president of candy and impulse.
Before joining Walmart, she spent more than 20 years in various executive leadership, sales, marketing and category development roles at Hershey Co. Last year Fortune magazine named Gloeckler to its list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business. Also in 2015, she was selected to lead the President’s Global Council of Women Leaders at Walmart.
“I’m ecstatic to join the Academy Sports + Outdoors team, and I look forward to getting to know our merchant, planning, sourcing and product development team members, along with our vendors and manufacturing partners,” she said. “I believe Academy’s everyday-low price approach, community focused stores and the merchandise mix of national and private brands position it uniquely in the industry for future growth and success.”
“On behalf of our more than 25,000 team members, I am thrilled to welcome Michelle to the team,” said J.K. Symancyk, Academy Sports + Outdoors’ president and chief executive officer. “Michelle is an industry renowned business driver and broad general manager with experience leading transformation and growth within high-volume, fast-turn, big-box retail and CPG companies. Our team will benefit tremendously from her caliber of leadership as we focus on Academy Sports + Outdoors’ future growth.”
The retailer operates more than 210 stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
