HR alert (II): Pet retailers and care companies announce key executive appointments

The latter part of summer has been busy in the pet industry, with several companies across retail, animal health and pet care announcing new appointments. GlobalPETS has the details.

Tractor Supply

Tractor Supply announced the departure of Robert D. Mills, Executive Vice President (EVP), Chief Technology Officer, Digital and Pet Services, effective 7 August. He was subsequently named President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of B&G Foods, an American packaged food company, effective 10 August.

Following his departure, Seth Estep, current EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer, will assume Mills’ responsibilities for the company’s Allivet and VIP Petcare business units.

Meanwhile, John Ordus, current EVP and Chief Stores Officer, will take over Mills’ responsibilities for Petsense by Tractor Supply. Both Estep and Ordus have been with the retailer for more than 20 years.

Zoetis

James “Jay” Saccaro became EVP, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Zoetis on 17 August. The combined role is newly created. He succeeds Wetteny Joseph as CFO, with Joseph transitioning to a special advisory role.

According to the New Jersey-based animal health company, Saccaro will lead capital allocation, financial strategy, reporting and controls, and investor engagement. He will also oversee global manufacturing and supply to drive operational execution and performance.

Saccaro brings leadership experience at large-scale life sciences companies. He most recently served as VP and CFO at GE HealthCare, a health tech company. He also spent more than 2 decades at Baxter International, serving as CFO for 8 years.

“Jay’s track record of designing financial frameworks that balance research and development (R&D) investment with operational rigor and efficiency will be a significant asset as we sharpen our competitive edge and invest in our future growth platforms,” says Kristin Peck, CEO of Zoetis.

Petco

US pet retailer Petco appointed Jeffrey Naylor, former CFO of off-price retailer TJX Companies, to its Board of Directors, effective 1 August. He will also serve as Chair of the company’s Audit Committee.

Naylor is a seasoned finance and operations executive within the retail sector. He currently serves as Chair of the Board and as a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees of services provider Synchrony Financial, and as a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at online retailer Wayfair.

Previously, he also served as a Director and Member of the Audit and Finance Committees at discount retailer chain Dollar Tree and held multiple senior leadership roles at The TJX Companies from 2004 to 2014.

“Jeff is a highly accomplished retail leader with a proven track record of driving profitable growth, operational discipline and financial excellence. As we execute on our ‘Reach for the Sky’ strategy, his deep financial acumen and extensive boardroom experience will be invaluable,” says Joel Anderson, CEO of Petco.

“Reach for the Sky” is the third phase of Petco’s wider turnaround strategy and focuses on returning the company to sustainable, profitable revenue growth.

Pets at Home

The British retailer has named Sarah Findlater as Chief People Officer (CPO) for the Pets Group, covering Pets at Home, Vets for Pets and Pets Insurance.

Findlater, who will join the company on 2 November, previously spent 27 years with British retailer Marks & Spencer, most recently serving as CPO, where she focused on shaping culture, leadership and organizational performance.

“She is an experienced People leader and retail veteran, and her expertise will be invaluable as we sharpen our strategic focus and continue to strengthen the special Pets culture, both of which are fundamental to helping to deliver on our ambitious plans,” says James Bailey, Pets at Home CEO.

Golden Child

Pet wellness brand Golden Child welcomed Connor Stastny as its new CEO. Previously, Stastny served as President and CFO of Grüns, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) nutrition and supplement brand that was acquired by Unilever. Before Grüns, he held C-suite roles at Byte, a D2C orthodontics company.

Stastny joins Golden Child’s founding team, which includes a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, a nutrition scientist, a classically trained chef and a fresh food supply chain expert.

“When we set out to find the right person to lead Golden Child, we knew they had to both genuinely believe in our mission to make pet parenthood easier, happier, and healthier, and bring the right operational skillset to scale the business into a household brand,” says Quentin Lacornerie, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Golden Child.

“Connor understood our values immediately – his track record growing exceptional subscription businesses that require earning consumer trust and his vision for Golden Child made this an easy decision,” he adds.

BARK

Beginning 8 September, Anya Hamill will join BARK as CFO, replacing Brian Dostie, who has served as Interim CFO over the past year and will continue with the company as VP for Accounting and Controller.

According to the omnichannel dog products and services company, Hamill brings more than 20 years of strategic finance experience at public consumer packaged goods (CPG) and private equity-backed companies, with expertise in the natural food and beverage sector.

Most recently, she served as CFO of Laird Superfood from 2022 to 2026, where she led accounting and finance for the manufacturer of plant-based and functional foods. Hamill also served as CFO of premium brand Little Secrets Chocolates from 2018 to 2022. 

“Her experience driving business performance at public and private companies, combined with her deep familiarity with consumer packaged goods across digital and retail channels, will be exceptionally beneficial as we continue to grow and deliver value to all of our stockholders,” says Matt Meeker, CEO of BARK.