Big Lots finds new CEO

Big Lots brings finally finds new leadership after the company’s former Chief Executive Officer’s retirement in April.

The company announced that Bruce K. Thorn, 51, has been named Chief Executive Officer and President of Big Lots, Inc. Thorn was most recently the President and Chief Operating Officer of Tailored Brands, Inc., a specialty retailer of men's tailored clothing and men's formalwear. Tailored Brands announced Thorn's resignation today. Following a transition period with Tailored Brands, he is expected to be formally appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Big Lots at the end of September, at which time he will also be appointed as a director to fill the vacancy created at the time of David Campisi's retirement.

Campisi, 62, who had been on a leave of absence for medical reasons since December, has decided to retire in order to focus fully on his health, according to a statement from Big Lots.

"Bruce Thorn is a strong strategic thinker in addition to being an accomplished retail executive and operator," said Cynthia T. Jamison, Chair of the Nominating / Corporate Governance Committee and of the Board's search committee. "We were fortunate to be able to consider a couple of very capable internal candidates in addition to a broad range of external candidates. Bruce's combination of strategic vision, leadership skills and history of operational success impressed all of us and the search firm that we used in the process. We believe that he will be able to build on the Company's transformation into a community retailer while also nimbly navigating the rapidly changing and disrupted retail environment."

Thorn joined Tailored Brands in 2015 as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In March 2017, he was named President and Chief Operating Officer.  Prior to joining Tailored Brands, he held various enterprise level roles with PetSmart, Inc. since 2007, most recently as Executive Vice President, Store Operations, Services and Supply Chain. His other experiences include leadership positions with Gap, Inc., Cintas Corp, LESCO, Inc. and The United States Army.

Big Lots currently operates 1,416  stores in 47 states.