Harriet Edelman was appointed independent chair of the board at Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., effective immediately.
Patrick Gaston stepped down as chairman of the board and, after a 13-year tenure as a director of the company, does not plan to stand for re-election at Bed Bath’s annual meeting of shareholders.
“Building on our history as the preeminent home retailer, we are bringing great energy and focus to reinventing Bed Bath and Beyond – to strongly connect with, inspire and serve today’s customers and how they want to shop,” said Edelman in a prepared statement. “I am honored and thrilled to chair this iconic company, serve our shareholders, partner with the board, Mark and the new leadership team, and help ignite growth and profitability.”
Edelman
Edelman and Chief Executive Officer Mark Tritton expressed gratitude for Gaston’s board presence and leadership.
Of his experience, Gaston said, “I am proud of our achievements together and confident that we have assembled the right team, with a clear strategy to rebuild the foundations of the business. This is an extraordinary time for our communities and I look forward to continuing my lifelong work helping businesses have a meaningful, positive impact in society. I believe in the strength of our brand and the future of Bed Bath & Beyond under the stewardship of Mark and the leadership team.”
Edelman spent more than 25 years at Avon Products Inc. including as chief information officer and senior vice president of global supply chain. She has more than 20 years of board experience, and currently serves on the boards at Assurant Inc. and Brinker International Inc.; as well as special advisor to the chairman of Emigrant Bank. She has been at Bed Bath for more than a year.
Edelman stepped down as chair of the audit committee and Joshua Schechter was appointed as her replacement, effective immediately.
The change in board leadership is another change in a series of many, including recent executive appointments.
