Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. announced that Michael Dastugue, Shannon Hennessy and Clay Johnson were appointed to the retailer’s Board of Directors, with Dastugue joining its Audit Committee.
The retailer said that as “Academy continues to make progress on its Long Range Plan, the addition of the industry veterans to its Board reinforces the strength of the business and its strategies for continued growth.” In addition, their appointments “bolster Academy’s capabilities in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, accounting, finance, and real estate, which align with the company’s strategic imperatives.”
“We are pleased to welcome Michael, Shannon and Clay,” said Ken Hicks, chairman of Academy Sports and Outdoors Board of Directors. “We continuously evaluate the composition of our Board to ensure our directors are both brand and business experts who share a passion for helping more families to have fun outdoors. We believe Michael, Shannon, and Clay’s combined expertise in complex business environments will enable Academy to capitalize on current opportunities and execute its growth strategy.”
Dastugue has over 30 years of experience in accounting, finance, real estate, and retail operations. Most recently, he served as the chief financial officer for Hanesbrands, Inc. from May 2021 to February 2023. Prior to joining Hanesbrands, Inc., Dastugue served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for Walmart U.S. from June 2015 to March 2021 and as executive vice president and chief financial officer for Sam’s Club from January 2013 to May 2015. Prior to Walmart, Inc., Dastugue held various leadership roles at J. C. Penney Company, Inc. from 1991 to 2012, including executive vice president and chief financial officer and was previously a public accountant with Arthur Andersen & Co. for three years. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and Finance and earned a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Texas.
Hennessy has 25 years of experience across restaurant leadership and consulting, including retail operations, digital growth, financial planning, reporting, supply chain, logistics, talent, and strategic planning. She has served as the CEO of Habit Burger & Grill since June 2023 and as president from July 2022 to June 2023. Prior to that, she served as KFC’s global chief financial officer from February 2020 to August 2022. Prior to KFC, Hennessy was a consultant at McKinsey & Company, serving clients in consumer-facing industries, including retail, consumer goods, hospitality, and logistics, for nearly 20 years. She is a graduate of The Wharton School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and earned a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Johnson has over 25 years of experience in digital transformation, cybersecurity, strategic planning, and global operations. He most recently served as the chief digital and technology officer for Yum! Brands, Inc. from October 2019 to April 2024 and as a senior advisor from April 2024 to April 2025. Prior to that, Johnson served as chief information officer and executive vice president, global business services, at Walmart, Inc., from January 2017 to October 2019. He served as chief information officer, senior vice president and corporate officer at General Electric Power and General Electric Digital from July 2014 to January 2017. Johnson held other senior positions at Boeing, Dell, Nortel Networks, FedEx, and the United States Coast Guard. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Sealed Air Corporation from May 2023 to May 2025, including on its Audit Committee. He is a graduate of the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering and earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas.
As a result of these additions, Academy’s Board now consists of 12 directors.
