Academy Sports + Outdoors signs Walmart U.S. EVP as chief merchandising officer
KATY, Texas — Academy Sports + Outdoors, a premier sports, outdoor and lifestyle retailer, on Wednesday named Michelle Gloeckler EVP, chief merchandising officer and president of Academy International Limited, its global sourcing entity, effective Aug. 29, 2016.
“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. “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.”
Gloeckler, 50, joins Academy after seven years with Walmart U.S. where she most recently served as EVP, consumables, health and wellness. At Walmart, she led the merchandising strategies in areas including beauty and personal care, pets, household paper and chemicals, baby, over-the-counter, pharmacy and optical.
She also led U.S. manufacturing and supplier training functions for the $250 billion initiative. Prior to Walmart, she spent more than 20 years in various executive leadership, sales, marketing and category development roles at The Hershey Company.
Gloeckler earned her bachelor’s degree in communications and psychology from the University of Michigan.
In 2015, FORTUNE magazine named Gloeckler to its list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business. In the same year, she was selected to lead the President’s Global Council of Women Leaders at Walmart.
“On behalf of our more than 25,000 team members, I am thrilled to welcome Michelle to the team,” stated J.K. Symancyk, Academy Sports + Outdoors president and CEO. “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.”