BJ’s Wholesale Club President and CEO Lee Delaney died unexpectedly on April 8 due to presumed natural causes. Bob Eddy, EVP, Chief Administrative and Financial Officer, has been named Interim CEO by the Board of Directors, effective immediately.
Delaney was promoted from EVP and Chief Commercial Officer to President in September 2019, and took on the CEO role in February 2020. He first joined BJ’s in May 2016 as EVP and Chief Growth Officer, and he had prior experience as a partner in the Boston office of Bain & Company and a leader in the firm’s Consumer Products practice.
“We are shocked and profoundly saddened by the passing of Lee Delaney,” said Christopher J. Baldwin, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors at BJ’s Wholesale Club in a statement. “Lee was a brilliant and humble leader who cared deeply for his colleagues, his family and his community. We extend our most heartfelt condolences and sympathy to his family, especially his wife and two children. We will honor his legacy and remember the extraordinary impact he had on so many. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.”
Delaney successfully guided BJ’s through the COVID-19 pandemic. The retailer reported 27% sales growth and 350% ecommerce growth in Q1 2020, and implemented an employee relief fund and new operational standards such as mandatory PPE, traffic limitations and shorter store hours during this period. The retailer’s performance remained strong throughout the year, closing out Q4 with a 13% comparable sales increase.
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