Dive Brief:
- Adding to its leadership team, Kirkland’s appointed James Schisler as chief operating officer effective immediately, according to a Friday Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
- Schisler most recently served as the CEO of consulting firm Innata Brand Strategy, which he founded last year. He also served as interim brand president for the recently acquired apparel company Richer Poorer and is the creator of UpWest, per LinkedIn.
- Kirkland’s also disclosed that Beyond nominated Steve Woodward (formerly Kirkland’s CEO until retiring in 2023) and Tamara Ward as board directors. Additionally, existing board directors Susan Lanigan and Charlie Pleas will not seek reelection.
Dive Insight:
Kirkland’s continues to shift its leadership alongside its evolving relationship with Beyond, which announced plans to acquire — and license back — the home retailer’s intellectual property in May. The move came after both companies entered into a strategic partnership in October.
In addition to his experience at Richer Poorer, Schisler also brings previous leadership experience from brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch Inc. and Express, Inc., the latter of which he spent 20 years at between the namesake brand and UpWest. At Kirkland’s, he will receive an annual base salary of $325,000 and a target annual performance bonus of 60% of the base salary.
Kirkland’s did not appear to have an existing COO, with former COO and President Michael Cairnes having left the company in 2020. At that time, Woodward added the oversight of operations to his responsibilities as CEO. Kirkland’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the COO role prior to Schisler’s appointment.
Beyond’s nomination of Woodward and Ward to Kirkland’s board is in connection with the company's IP deal, which allows for Beyond to appoint up to three directors based on the percentage of outstanding common stock it owns. The deal permits Beyond to acquire up to 65% of the outstanding common stock in total.
Ward previously served as the Chief Operating Officer at Camping World, as part of a 35-year tenure with the company, and worked as a senior marketing consultant for Beyond in 2024, per LinkedIn. Beyond’s executive chairman, Marcus Lemonis, has been Camping World's CEO for over two decades and has also served as the principal executive officer at Beyond since March.
Lanigan and Pleas leave Kirkland’s board after both joined as directors in 2016. They are the latest to exit from the retailer’s board, with two other members resigning in June of 2024 after not receiving a majority of votes. Kirkland’s CEO Amy Sullivan was elected to the board at the same time, former interim CEO Ann Joyce was reelected to the board as chair and the board’s size was reduced from eight to six.
