Key takeaways:Â
- Chris Hurt became CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop on June 11, succeeding Sharon Price John after more than 11 years with the company.
- Build-A-Bear also named Voin Todorovic as chief administrative officer in addition to his CFO role and promoted Dave Henderson from chief revenue officer to chief growth officer.
- Sharon Price John, who led Build-A-Bear for 13 years, is joining Carter’s as president and CEO effective June 15, 2026.
Build-A-Bear Workshop has completed its planned CEO transition, with Chris Hurt officially assuming the role of chief executive officer effective June 11, following the retirement of Sharon Price John, who led the company for 13 years and will remain on the board of directors.
Hurt, who previously served as the company’s chief operations and experience officer, has more than 11 years of leadership experience at Build-A-Bear. During his tenure, he played an integral role in strengthening the company’s global operations, enhancing guest experience and advancing key strategic initiatives across the business.
“I am honored to step into the Chief Executive Officer role and build upon the company’s current position of strength,” Hurt said in a statement. “With a clear strategy focused on profitable growth, our powerful brand, and a talented global team, we are dedicated to continuing to advance the experiences, partnerships and opportunities for innovation to ensure Build-A-Bear remains a beloved and distinctive company for years to come.”
Executive Leadership Updates
Alongside the CEO transition, the company announced two executive leadership updates:
- Voin Todorovic, current chief financial officer, has assumed the additional role of chief administrative officer, expanding his responsibilities to include enterprise-wide administrative oversight.
- Dave Henderson, previously chief revenue officer, has been named chief growth officer, reflecting an expanded focus on long-term global growth, revenue diversification and strategic expansion.
Build-A-Bear operates more than 650 company-owned, partner-operated and franchise experience locations across more than 30 countries and reported $529.8 million in total revenues for fiscal 2025, its fifth consecutive year of record results.
Former Build-A-Bear CEO to Lead Carter’s
Price John is not stepping away from retail. As previously reported by Retail TouchPoints, she is joining Carter’s as president and CEO effective June 15.
During her 13-year tenure at Build-A-Bear, Price John diversified the company’s business model beyond malls, drove e-commerce growth, expanded into the gifting and collecting markets and implemented content marketing strategies.
Before Build-A-Bear, she held executive positions including president of Stride Rite Children’s Group and GM and SVP of Hasbro’s Global Playskool business, and also worked at Mattel as VP of International Marketing for the Disney business unit and as a director of the Barbie brand.
