Union, N.J. — Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has named John Welling as senior vice president (SVP), merchandise planning, allocation & operations, effective immediately. Welling will report to Joe Hartsig, Bed Bath & Beyond’s chief merchandising officer (CMO), and president of Harmon Health & Beauty Stores.
Welling will be responsible for helping lead the transformation of Bed Bath & Beyond’s inventory planning and replenishment strategy, a core pillar in the company’s strategic growth plan. This includes implementing enhanced merchandising processes and inventory systems to improve in-stock levels and turn times, end to end inventory management capabilities, product life cycle management, reporting tools and regional merchandising activities. In addition, Welling will oversee the evolution of space and assortment planning to optimize merchandise in store, ensure a more consistent, high-quality customer experience, and support the recently announced store remodel program which includes investments of approximately $250 million over the next 3 years.
“We’re proud to serve one in five households across the country and we are building on our strong authority in the home market,” says Hartsig. “John brings industry-leading experience in retail transformation, inventory management, merchandise planning and store operations — expertise that will help advance our foundational capabilities, improve the experience for our customers and drive increased profitability across our assortment.”
Welling joins Bed Bath & Beyond with decades of experience across the retail industry. He was senior vice president for planning and allocation at J.C. Penney, before which he held senior merchandising, planning and operations roles at The Michaels Companies and Walmart, where he spent over 10 years in global leadership roles in inventory management and regional operations.
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. and subsidiaries is an omnichannel retailer that sells a wide assortment of merchandise in the Home, Baby, Beauty and Wellness markets.
SOURCE: Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.