WARREN, Mich. – Art Van Furniture announced Thursday that Ronald Boire, a retail industry veteran with extensive leadership experience, will be joining the company as its new president and CEO, effective April 30.
Boire will be succeeding Kim Yost, who recently announced his retirement after nine years with the company.
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"Ron is a tremendous addition to the Art Van family," Yost said. "He is a charismatic and dynamic leader, who has an innate passion for the customer and shares our love for product and for sales. He also brings ‘war stories’ from many other sectors of retail, which will be invaluable as Art Van continues to transform the business into the leading all-home omni-channel retailer in the United States. I have the utmost confidence in Ron’s ability to lead the Art Van, Levin, and Wolf brands through the next chapter of growth and success."
Boire joins Art Van after spending 35 years in the retail industry. He previously worked in senior executive positions, including president and CEO roles, at companies such as Barnes & Noble, Inc., Sony Electronics, Inc., Best Buy, Toys R Us, Inc., Brookstone, Inc., and Sears Canada, Inc.
"I am very excited about the opportunity to join Art Van," Boire said. "The furniture and mattress industry is going through a time of significant change and the Art Van portfolio of brands are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the opportunities present in this evolving landscape. I am incredibly impressed by the deep customer loyalty that has come from the decades of history in each brand’s local communities. I look forward to partnering with our highly talented team of associates and partners to build on that strong foundation, as we strive to deliver an industry-leading guest experience."
Before joining Art Van, Boire most recently served as a principal at The Upland Group, an advisory firm specializing in the development, leadership and execution of transformational strategies for retail and consumer product companies.
"We thank Kim for the leadership and guidance he has provided to the Company through this year of transition, and wish him well in his retirement," said Jeff Swenson, managing director of Thomas H. Lee Partners. "Looking ahead, we are thrilled with Ron’s decision to join Art Van. His deep expertise in retail management and extensive experience leading transformational and omni-channel strategies focused on delivering best-in-class customer experiences – both online and in stores – will be incredibly valuable as we build on a long and storied history of growth for the Art Van, Levin, and Wolf brands."
More about Ronald Boire
Prior to The Upland Group, Boire served as CEO of Barnes & Noble, Inc., the world’s largest retail bookseller.
Boire has served as a director of various retail industry organizations, including the Retail Council of Canada and the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
In addition to his business activities, Boire is a co-founder of the Ferguson Noonan Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity focused on educating under-privileged children. He has been involved with philanthropic organizations such as the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Boire was a recipient of the Anti-Defamation League’s S. David Feir International Humanitarian Award.
He has MBAs from Columbia University and the London Business School.