Sportsman’s Warehouse, a sporting goods retail chain based in Midvale, has named Jon Barker as its CEO, replacing John Schaefer, who has retired. Schaefer also resigned as a member of the board of directors, the company said. Barker, formerly the company’s president and chief operating officer, has also been appointed to the board of directors to fill the vacancy created by Schaefer’s retirement.
“After a tenure of almost nine years leading our company and watching it grow from 25 stores to almost 90 stores, the time is right to let the next generation of retail executives take over the reins,” Schaefer said. “Our company is in excellent financial shape, our growth strategy is clear and I feel confident about our strong positioning in the outdoor sporting goods niche. I am proud to have had the opportunity to lead this exceptional company.”
According to a release from Sportsman’s Warehouse, Schaefer’s retirement represents the culmination of several years of transition planning. “We recruited Jon Barker as president and COO last March with the expectation that he would not only apply his expertise in heading up our growing e-commerce platform, but would also be prepared in time to be our next CEO,” Schaefer said. “The board and I are all impressed by the significant contributions Jon has made over the last year. We are confident Jon is prepared to lead the company’s next phase of growth by expanding its national retail footprint and accelerating its e-commerce capabilities as a full-fledged omni-channel retailer.”
Prior to joining the Sportsman’s Warehouse last March 2017, Barker was vice president and global officer for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., where he also served in the dual roles of president and CEO of Hayneedle.com, an online home furnishings retailer. He was also group leader for the home and outdoor furnishings categories for U.S. e-commerce across Walmart.com, Jet.com and Hayneedle.com. Prior to Walmart, Barker was senior vice president of distribution/logistics at Cornerstone Brands.
“On behalf of the board of directors, I want to thank John for the exceptional job he has done guiding our company’s transformation from its challenging position in 2009 to its industry-leading status today,” said Chris Eastland, chairman of the board and partner at Seidler Equity Partners, which owns Sportsman’s Warehouse. “He has worked tirelessly from when we hired him almost nine years ago, achieving results significantly greater than we expected at the time. John’s preparation over the last year for a smooth transition upon his planned retirement is just one example of his thoughtful leadership. We have equal confidence in Jon Barker and the rest of the executive team and expect Sportsman’s will continue to grow and evolve under their leadership in ways that will benefit our shareholders, our employees and our loyal customers.”
“It is a privilege to be appointed as the next CEO for Sportsman’s Warehouse,” said Barker. “I have enjoyed working directly with John over the past year and am grateful for his partnership, as well as the strong team he has built at the company. I am excited to work with the board and our great team to lead the next chapter of growth for Sportsman’s Warehouse and tap the many opportunities we see ahead for the business.”