Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. EVP and CFO Andre J. Hawaux has added the letters COO to his title 20 months after joining the company from the packaged food industry. In addition to his existing responsibilities for finance, legal and information technology, he will now take on store operations, real estate and human resources.
The announcement cements Hawaux status as the number two executive at DKS after Chairman and CEO Edward W. Stack and ahead of the company's only two other EVPs. With the retirement of his predecessor, president and COO Joseph H. Schmidt, Hawaux also appears to draw the second biggest pay check after Stack.
Hawaux joined Dick's in June, 2013 as executive vice president, finance, administration and chief financial officer flowing a stint as president, consumer foods at ConAgra Foods Inc., where he had served since 2006. DKS's previous CFO, Timothy Kullman, retired in 2013 after serving in the position for six years.
Stack, who has served as DKS chairman and CEO since 1984 and will be 60 when the company holds its annual meeting in June, said Hawaux has been instrumental in executing growth plans. “We look forward to further leveraging his background in finance and operations, combined with his exceptional leadership and business acumen,” said Stack, who remains the only DKS officer serving on the company's board of directors.
