CHESAPEAKE, VA - Dollar Tree continues to solidify its standing in the produce sector with the appointment of an industry leader. Recently, the retailer announced Michael A. Witynski, Enterprise President of Dollar Tree, has been promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer. Gary Philbin, who joined Dollar Tree in 2001 and became CEO in 2017, is retiring after a successful retail career of more than 40 years.
“I am honored to take on this new role and excited about Dollar Tree’s opportunities to drive even more value for our customers and shareholders. We have great momentum; our sales and margins are encouraging, our work to improve the customer experience is driving traffic, and we are now capturing more of the benefits inherent in bringing the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar management teams together under one roof,” Mike Witynski stated. “It has been a privilege to work with Gary, and I wish him the best for the future.”
Bob Sasser, Executive Chairman, said, “Mike is a proven leader, having joined the company in 2010 as Senior Vice President of Stores and rising to President and Chief Operating Officer of Dollar Tree Stores in 2017. He was then promoted to Enterprise President in 2019, where he was responsible for leading the merchandising, store operations, and supply chain function for both the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar brands. Under Mike’s leadership, we have driven outstanding performance—first at Dollar Tree and most recently at Family Dollar. He helped put in place a broad range of operational and talent initiatives to position our company for an even more successful future, as witnessed by the recent successes at Family Dollar. I am delighted to have Mike Witynski step into this new leadership role.”
Prior to joining Dollar Tree in 2010, Witynski held senior leadership roles in various sectors during his 29 years in the grocery industry, stated the press release. With time spent at Cub Foods as Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing, SuperValu as Executive Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing and Group Vice President of Private Brands, and Shaw’s Supermarkets as President, this trade news writer believes Witynski is a great fit for Dollar Tree.
To facilitate a smooth transition, Philbin will remain with the company as an executive and member of the Board of Directors through September 23, 2020. Philbin joined Dollar Tree in 2001 as Senior Vice President of Stores and then was promoted to positions of increasing responsibility. In September 2017, he became President and Chief Executive Officer of Dollar Tree.
“Mike has a deep understanding of every facet of our business and is well-prepared to take over as CEO,” Philibin commented. “I look forward to his leadership in driving our initiatives at both Family Dollar and Dollar Tree banners to deliver great values, an exciting shopping experience, and more value for our long term shareholders.”
During his tenure at Dollar Tree, Philbin has driven the development of private brands, customer research and marketing, and operational excellence into store-focused initiatives. He has been deeply involved in the evolution of the Dollar Tree store format, in accelerating the integration of Family Dollar, and in working with the Family Dollar team to create the new H2 format.
“The Board and I are grateful to Gary Philbin for his steadfast commitment and tireless efforts over nearly two decades to help make Dollar Tree the company it is today. Gary’s leadership as CEO brought our banners together as one company in Chesapeake,” Sasser continued. “Through his efforts, we have a succession plan in place to ensure the smoothest possible leadership transition. On behalf of the Board, his colleagues, and our associates, we thank Gary and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”
Congratulations to all on the next step of their journeys!
