BJ’s wholly restructures management team

NATICK, MASS. —BJ’s Wholesale Club has appointed Laura Sen president and coo in a move that looks to be a first step in a management succession process. The company also has restructured its merchandising division.

Sen is a 15-year BJ’s veteran who was evp of merchandising and logistics. She was also elected to the company’s board of directors.

Chairman and ceo Herb Zarkin, who also held the president’s title, will retain key responsibilities in leading the company’s strategic planning, succession and chain expansion efforts. He will continue to work closely with Sen and the senior management team on a range of issues, the company said, but Sen will have more responsibility in several administrative areas.

“Her role is going to be more a strategic focus on management succession, board succession and expansion,” Cathy Maloney, BJ’s vp of investor relations, told Retailing Today. “Laura will have responsibility for day to day activities, so everyone will report to her.”

Christina Neppl will now lead the merchandising division as Sen’s successor as evp of merchandising and logistics. Bruce Graham, senior vp and gmm of consumables, will assume more responsibility as gm of perishables, and Mark Titlebaum will become senior vp and gm of general merchandise, a position that was vacant. Robert Eddy, senior vp of finance, will assume responsibility for the financial departments formerly managed by Neppl. Graham was senior vp of consumables and Titlebaum was vp and dmm of consumables.

The current senior management team guided BJ’s through its greatest growth spurt in the 1990s and was reconstituted after the ouster of former president Mike Wedge, who wanted to position the chain more competitively with supermarkets. The company’s financials have been relatively strong as of late, with December 2007 sales up 6.2% to $1.03 billion, comparable-store sales up 3% and management reiterating earnings forecasts.