Pier 1 2015 Annual Report Download - page 12

ITEM 1. BUSINESS.
MICHAEL R. BENKEL, age 46, was named Executive Vice President of Planning and Allocations in April 2012. He joined the
organization in September 2008 as Senior Vice President of Planning and Allocations. Prior to joining the Company, he spent 11
years at Williams-Sonoma Inc. in continuously advancing positions in the Pottery Barn Retail Stores division, including Vice
President of Inventory Management, Director – Inventory Management, and as a home furnishings and furniture buyer.
LAURA A. COFFEY, age 48, was named Executive Vice President of the Company and began serving as Interim Chief Financial
Officer in February 2015. Ms. Coffey has served within the organization for 18 years in various capacities, including Senior Vice
President of Planning, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Planning and Senior Vice President of
Finance. Ms. Coffey first became an officer of the Company in 2005 and served as Principal Accounting Officer from 2008 to
2011. Prior to joining the Company, she held various positions with Alcon Laboratories and KPMG, LLP.
CATHERINE DAVID, age 51, joined the organization in August 2009 as Executive Vice President of Merchandising. Prior to her
current role, Ms. David served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Kirkland’s Inc. and Vice President and General
Manager with Sears Essentials, Sears Grand and The Great Indoors. Ms. David also previously served Target Corporation for 13
years in various positions including Vice President and General Manager of target.direct and various positions in the buying,
planning and stores divisions.
GREGORY S. HUMENESKY, age 63, was named Executive Vice President of Human Resources of the Company in February
2005. Prior to his current position, he served in various human resource positions for other retailers, including ten years as Senior
Vice President of Human Resources at Zale Corporation and 21 years in various positions of increasing responsibility at Macy’s.
ERIC W. HUNTER, age 41, was named Executive Vice President of Marketing in September 2013. Prior to joining the Company,
Mr. Hunter served as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Acting Chief Marketing Officer with JCPenney Company from
February 2012 to July 2013, and as Chief Marketing Officer and Group President with Kellwood Company from March 2009 until
February 2012. Mr. Hunter also served in various positions with PMK/HBH/Momentum Worldwide and Creative Artists Agency.
SHARON M. LEITE, age 52, was named Executive Vice President of Sales and Customer Experience in January 2014. She
joined the organization in August 2007 as Executive Vice President of Stores. Prior to joining the Company, she spent eight years
at Bath & Body Works, six years as Vice President of Store Operations and two years in other leadership roles. Before joining
Bath & Body Works, Ms. Leite held various operations positions with several prominent retailers, including Gap, Inc., The Walt
Disney Company and Limited, Inc.
MICHAEL A. CARTER, age 56, was named Senior Vice President, Compliance and General Counsel, Secretary of the Company
in January 2014. Prior to that and since December 2005, he served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of
the Company. Mr. Carter has served within the organization for 25 years in various leadership capacities, including Vice President
— Legal Affairs, and Corporate Counsel. Mr. Carter first became an officer of the Company in 1991. Mr. Carter is a licensed
attorney in the State of Texas. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Carter practiced law with the Fort Worth, Texas law firm of
Brackett and Ellis, LLP.
ANDREW LAUDATO, age 48, was named Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer in April 2002. He joined the
organization in August 2000 as Vice President of Information Services. Prior to joining the Company he held various positions of
increasing responsibility with the Limited, Inc., Bath & Body Works, LLC, Express, Inc., and Jo-Ann Stores, LLC.
The executive officers of the Company are elected by the Board of Directors and hold office until their successors are elected or
appointed and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal. None of the above executive officers has any family relationship
with any other of such officers or with any director of the Company. None of such officers was selected pursuant to any
arrangement or understanding between her or him and any other person, except for Mr. Smith, who serves as President and
Chief Executive Officer pursuant to an employment agreement with the Company.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
The Company’s business is subject to risk. The following discussion, along with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes, sets forth the most
significant risks and uncertainties that management believes could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition or
results of operations. Additional risks and uncertainties that management is not aware of or that management currently deems
immaterial may also have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations. There
is no assurance that this discussion covers all potential risks that may be faced by the Company. The occurrence of the
described risks could cause the Company’s results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements
included elsewhere in this report, and could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or
results of operations.
6PIER 1 IMPORTS, INC. 2015 Form 10-K