With the retirement of Lewis L. Bird, Dallas-based At Home is searching for a new CEO, the Dallas-based company announced in a news release.
“On behalf of the company, I want to thank Lee for his tremendous leadership of At Home over the last decade,”At Home Lead Director Erik Ragatz said in a prepared statement. “Lee helped build At Home into one of the great retailers across industries. Today, At Home is the go-to destination for home décor and holiday shoppers across the country. As a leader and mentor, Lee has had a profound impact on At Home’s thousands of employees and will remain an important member of the At Home family for years to come.”
Bird became At Home’s CEO in December 2012 following tenures at Old Navy and Nike, the release said. Under his leadership, At Home expanded from 58 stores to 268 stores, increasing the store’s revenue from $364 million to $2 billion. In 2014, the home and holiday retailer launched its omnichannel offering, and seven years later, it was acquired by Hellman & Friedman in an all-cash, take-private transaction that valued At Home at $2.8 billion. The move saw At Home cease trading common stock and its listing was removed from the New York Stock Exchange.
Bird’s retirement is effective on Dec. 31.
Meanwhile, At Home has created an “office to the CEO” to run the company. That includes Ragatz, president and chief merchandising officer Jeff Evans, chief financial officer Jerry Murray and chief operating officer Ashley Sheetz.
“Helping At Home become one of the nation’s top home decor retailers is one of the great honors of my career,” Bird said in a statement. “I want to sincerely thank everyone throughout the company who has contributed to At Home’s many achievements. Together, we have created a valuable, differentiated business with even more room for growth, and I’m confident in this team’s ability to continue to build on At Home’s track record of success.”
At Home has seven locations in North Texas, including in Dallas, according to its website. It offers rugs, art, furniture, mirrors and housewares and patio and seasonal decor.
