The Music & Sound Retailer has learned that Guitar Center has made changes to its executive leadership team as the organization moves into the third quarter of its fiscal year. With the launch of a new five-year growth strategy announced in early April, the organization has already begun a host of new organizational changes internally and externally to continue on its path to evolve and modernize the business for long-term success.
Departing the company, effective August 1, is John Bagan, who had been Executive Vice President of Merchandising. Bagan was an invaluable member of the executive leadership team for more than six years at Guitar Center; the entire organization wishes him well as he begins his next career chapter. A 25-year Guitar Center veteran, Grant Sheffield, was announced as the new Vice President of Retail Transformation. In this role, Sheffield will oversee a host of sweeping new structural changes being implemented in stores across the country.
In addition, two new executives are joining the company leadership team. Ron Japinga joins the executive leadership team as the new Executive Vice President of Inventory Management and Supply Chain. He joins the Guitar Center organization after an impressive eight-year career at West Marine, where he was the Executive Vice President of Merchandising, Planning and Logistics. Prior to that, he was a VP-level executive with Kohl’s Department Stores. Joining Japinga as part of the team is Susan Starnes, the new Vice President of Services. She joins the Guitar Center organization after an impressive 10-year career history with Lowe’s, where she was responsible for Repair Services, Sales and Development. Prior to her work with Lowe’s, she was a top consultant with Bain Capital in Boston.