Guitar Heart names new chief shops officer

Dive Transient:

• Music gear retailer Guitar Heart has appointed Mike Schultheis govt vice chairman and chief shops officer. Schultheis will oversee and handle all features of the corporate’s retail shops. Schultheis started his new place on Oct. 7.
• Schultheis joined Guitar Heart from PetSmart, the place his most up-to-date place was senior vice chairman of U.S. shops, the corporate stated in a Tuesday press launch. He’ll report on to CEO Gabe Dalporto.
• Guitar Heart stated his appointment helps “ongoing initiatives to generate progress by a enjoyable, partaking and experiential retailer atmosphere.”

Dive Perception:

Guitar Heart hit a low word throughout the worst of the pandemic, submitting for Chapter 11 chapter. The corporate exited chapter after a reorganization boosted liquidity and added new fairness and debt capital.

With Schultheis appointment, Guitar Heart is bringing on a frontrunner with greater than three many years of expertise and a “confirmed retail monitor document of boosting income, increasing capabilities, streamlining processes, and creating top-notch groups,” Dalporto stated in a press release.

In his most up-to-date position at PetSmart, Schultheis “led the shop groups to elevated revenues of over 40% inside 5 years,” the corporate stated in its announcement. The additionally retailer described his management fashion as hands-on, saying he usually visits shops in individual to attach with staff and prospects.

As chief shops officer, Schultheis will lead a staff of 6,000 staff who fill quite a lot of roles, together with retail retailer operations associates, gross sales associates, music instrument restore technicians and music lesson instructors.

The corporate has considerably revamped its C-suite after rising from Chapter 11. Dalporto took over as CEO almost a yr in the past, changing Ron Japinga, who had led the corporate for about seven years. On the identical time, the corporate named Tim Martin as its CFO.

At first of this yr, the corporate named Zac Bogart senior vice chairman of digital advertising, overseeing the retailer’s e-commerce channels, contact heart and buyer relationship administration staff. And Adolfo Rodriguez in July was appointed govt vice chairman and chief expertise and data officer.

Guitar Heart has over 300 bodily shops within the U.S. and an e-commerce operation. The corporate’s portfolio contains Music & Arts, which operates greater than 250 specialty retail shops centered on faculty band and orchestra gross sales; e-commerce website Musician’s Pal, and Audio Visible Design Group, which designs and installs audio, video and lighting techniques.