1-800-Flowers.com Founder Jim McCann is stepping down and The Home Depot veteran Adolfo Villagomez has been appointed as the company’s new CEO, effective May 12.
The leadership shift was announced as 1-800-Flowers reported a dramatic sales decline in fiscal Q3 (ended March 30, 2025), with revenue decreasing 12.6% from the prior year period to $331.5 million as consumer demand slackened. In response, the company released details of a new multi-year strategic initiative to “transform the customer journey into a sentiment-led experience,” which will now be led by Villagomez.
First Non-Family Member to Serve as 1-800-Flowers CEO
Villagomez joins 1-800-Flowers from his previous role as CEO of Progress Residential, an owner and operator of single-family rentals in over 40 U.S. markets. Villagomez also previously served as President of The Home Depot’s online businesses and that company’s Chief Marketing Officer for U.S. Retail. McCann will remain at the company as Executive Chairman.
“Adolfo is the first person outside the McCann family to take on this role — something I did not take lightly,” said McCann in a statement. “Adolfo’s leadership and vision will be instrumental in transforming our company and ensuring we continue to innovate and connect with our customers on a deeper level. Together, we will create an ecosystem that elevates the importance of relationships and heartfelt expressions.”
Advertisement
The ‘Celebrations Wave’ Transformation Strategy
The company’s new transformation strategy, called Celebrations Wave, aims to increase revenues across both every day and holiday occasions, optimize operations, lower costs and accelerate the pace of change, in order to position 1-800-Flowers for “sustainable and profitable growth.” The plan includes:
- Developing a “sentiment-led customer journey” that makes regular connections with customers throughout the year, not just during major holiday periods;
- Encouraging greater frequency and engagement with new offerings, beginning with complimentary and affordable greeting card options and combined with notifications and reminders to keep the company in front of customers year-round;
- Broadening its range of price points both lower and higher to accommodate more occasions and income levels, as well as employing a tiered sales approach that begins with complimentary and low-cost options;
- Enhance marketing efficiency and effectiveness by emphasizing relationship-driven interactions, boosting engagement with existing customers through content and using tools like reminders to help customers manage their relationships;
- Integrating advanced technologies to deliver a more personalized and dynamic experience for customers, including AI-driven recommendations, predictive analytics and content; and
- Strengthening the Celebrations Passport loyalty program.
In its fiscal Q3, 1-800-Flowers marked a net loss of $178.2 million, compared with a net loss of $16.9 million in the prior year period. Revenues declined across the company’s divisions, except for the company’s BloomNet group, which offers business services to local florists.
“While we are deeply disappointed by the quarterly results, we are steadfast in our commitment to turning this underperformance around,” said McCann. “Our Celebrations Wave strategy marks a pivotal evolution for the company, integrating our innovative initiatives and brand assets into a sentiment-led ecosystem. We expect this strategy will not only help address the current challenges but also drive sustainable long-term growth, ensuring we continue to deepen connections and inspire heartfelt expressions among our customers.”
