Hudson, Ohio — JOANN Inc., the nation’s category leader in sewing and fabrics with one of the largest arts and crafts offerings, has announced the retirement of Wade Miquelon as president and chief executive officer effective, May 8, 2023. Chris DiTullio, executive vice president and chief customer officer, and Scott Sekella, executive vice president and chief financial officer, have been appointed to lead the interim office of the chief executive officer, and the board has commenced a search to identify a permanent replacement.
“On behalf of the board, I’d like to thank Wade for leading JOANN through its initial public offering and the difficult challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presented,” says Brian Coleman, vice president, Leonard Green Partners, L.P. “As we look to the next chapter for JOANN, we remain focused on delivering value for our shareholders through strategic priorities centered on creating a great in-store and online experience for our customers, driving operational efficiencies, and capitalizing on JOANN’s strength in the sewing, arts and crafts categories.”
DiTullio has served as JOANN’s chief customer officer since October 2019, overseeing how customers interact with JOANN’s brand, including all aspects of store and omnichannel operations, customer care, inventory management and marketing. Prior to joining JOANN in 2005, DiTullio held roles in operations and inventory management with JC Penney, Homeplace, Inc. and Cole Vision.
Sekella has served as JOANN’s chief financial officer since September 2022, overseeing all aspects of finance and accounting, as well as indirect procurement. He brings more than 20 years of experience in finance with multiple national and international brands, most recently serving as vice president, corporate FP&A at Under Armour.
JOANN was founded 80 years ago as a single storefront in Cleveland, Ohio. Today, the retailer has 840 stores across 49 states.
Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. is a leading private equity investment firm founded in 1989 and based in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.leonardgreen.com.
SOURCE: JOANN, Inc.