BJ’s Wholesale Club President and CEO Bob Eddy will add the title of chairman of the board, effective June 15, the membership retailer announced Thursday.
Eddy will take over the chairman’s role from Chris Baldwin, a former BJ’s executive who has served in the position since June 2022. Baldwin will stay on the retailer’s board as a director.
Eddy ascended to his current position and also joined BJ’s board in April 2021 following the death of Lee Delaney, who became the company’s president in September 2019 and added the CEO title in February 2020.
Eddy joined BJ’s in 2007 as senior vice president of finance, was promoted to CFO in 2011 and became executive vice president and chief financial and administrative officer in 2018.
“Bob’s strong leadership, strategic vision and deep commitment to BJ’s have played an integral role in the transformation of our business over the years,” Baldwin said in a statement. “Having worked closely with Bob over the past eight years, both as a fellow director and as part of the management team, I am confident that the combination of his leadership as chief executive officer and guidance as chairman positions the company well for long-term growth and value creation.”
Eddy has presided over a period of robust finance performance by BJ’s, with grocery sales playing a key part in driving the company’s results. BJ’s, which currently runs 237 clubs in 18 states, reported net sales of $18.9 billion during fiscal 2022, a 16% increase from the previous year. Comparable sales excluding fuel were up 8.7% year-over-year in 2022 for its fourth quarter, which ended Jan. 28.
BJ’s also has moved ahead with plans to add more stores, rolled out a retail media program and stepped up its use of technology with Eddy at the helm.
