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KATY, Texas — Walmart health and wellness executive Michelle Gloeckler is leaving the company to become chief merchant at sporting goods chain Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Michelle Gloeckler
Academy Ltd. said Wednesday that Gloeckler is slated to join the company on Aug. 29 as executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. Academy Sports + Outdoors has 210 stores in Texas and 14 other states, mostly in the Southeast, offering apparel, shoes, and equipment for a range of sporting and outdoor activities, including hunting, fishing, boating and golf.
“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,” Gloeckler said in a statement. “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.”
The 50-year-old Gloeckler most recently served as executive vice president of consumables and health and wellness in Walmart’s U.S. division. With Walmart since 2009, she led the the retail giant’s high-profile campaign to source more U.S.-made merchandise.
“On behalf of our more than 25,000 team members, I am thrilled to welcome Michelle to the team,” stated Academy president and chief executive officer J.K. Symancyk, who joined the company last year from Meijer Inc. and had previously been a divisional merchandise manager at Sam’s Club. “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.”
Academy operates a catalog and ecommerce site in addition to its stores. The company was acquired by investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. in 2011.
