Meijer president departs for sporting goods company

KATY, Texas — Academy Sports and Outdoors named former Meijer president James Kevin Symancyk to the role of president and CEO in a move that suggests the retailers private equity owners could be eyeing a public stock offering.

 

Symancyk, 43, will assume his new responsibilities on Nov. 2 when current president and CEO Rodney Faldyn steps down after 10 years with the operator of more than 200 large format, full line sporting goods stores. Symancyk joined Meijer in 2006 in a senior merchandising role and advanced quickly to become executive vice president of merchandising and marketing and then chief operating officer. He was named president in Feb. 2013. Prior to Meijer, Symancyk spent 12 years with Sam’s Club in a variety of merchandising positions.

 

"The future for Academy Sports and Outdoors is truly limitless, and I'm eager to ensure we continue offering customers convenience, a broad selection of quality products and exceptional customer service as we strive to remain the low price leader in our category,” Symacyk said. “I'm looking forward to getting to know our associates and vendors as we collaborate to become the national, regionally relevant, locally merchandised, sporting goods, outdoor and lifestyle retail store of choice."

 

Symancyck succeeds Rodney Faldyn who joined Academy in 2006 as CFO and was named president the following year. He was elevated to the role of CEO in August 2011 when the family controlled company was acquired by affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. It is possible that Symancyk will oversee the company’s initial public offering, as KKR looks to cash in on its four-year-old investment. 

 

"Academy Sports and Outdoors has had a tremendous growth trajectory during the time of our ownership. We are grateful to Rodney (Faldyn) for his innumerable contributions and leadership," Nate Taylor, Academy’s chairman of the board of managers and KKR’s head of retail for the Americas, said “J.K. (Symancyk) is an exceptional retail strategist with a strong business and financial acumen and proven track record of success. We believe that he will strengthen an already talented management team and enhance a corporate infrastructure that is well positioned for the future.”