Big Lots Adds Retail Vets To Leadership Team
Big Lots has named two new members of its leadership team, appointing Margarita Giannantonio as chief merchandising officer and John Alpaugh as chief marketing officer.
As chief merchandising officer, Giannantonio will be responsible for shaping and leading the company's merchandising strategy across all product categories. She reports to Bruce Thorn, Big Lots president and CEO.
Giannantonio spent the past decade with TJX, which includes off-price retail brands like HomeGoods, HomeSense, T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. She was most recently senior vice president and general merchandise manager of TJX Canada, where she led teams responsible for merchandise strategy and financial plans. She also previously served in roles with Hudson's Bay Company, a major multi-brand retailer, Incredible Clothing Company, The House2/Stylekraft Sportswear, and Hugo Boss Canada.
Alpaugh in his role as chief marketing officer is responsible for managing the company's brand and marketing strategies and executions. Alpaugh has joined the executive leadership team, also reporting to Thorn.
Building on his successes as a business planner for IBM, Alpaugh spent six years in Frankfurt, Germany, with Procter and Gamble in brand management before holding various leadership roles with PetSmart.
During his time with PetSmart, he developed the company's new brand architecture and eCommerce and omnichannel strategies, enhanced the loyalty program with the addition of 7 million new rewards signups, developed a customer-needs framework to better the customer experience, and dramatically improved the advertising media mix driving a higher return on investment.
Most recently, he was CEO of CyberMark, a digital marketing solutions provider to multi-location businesses, before successfully selling the company in June 2022.
"We've worked diligently to find the right thought and people leaders for these two roles, and Margarita and John emerged clearly from our searches as the right leaders to take us forward," said Thorn. "Working together, Margarita, John and their teams will shape how our customer's experience our brand, and optimize our cross-channel offering of exceptional bargains, treasures and essentials."