Genesco, Inc. appointed two independent directors, Matthew M. Bilunas, chief financial officer, Best Buy Co., Inc., and Carolyn Bojanowski, executive vice president of merchandising, Sephora USA, to Genesco’s Board of Directors, effective January 29, 2023, the beginning of its fiscal year.
Genesco also announced that current directors Matthew C. Diamond and Kevin P. McDermott are retiring from Genesco’s Board and will not stand for re-election at the company’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. To facilitate an orderly transition, Genesco expanded the size of its board from nine to 11 directors until its 2023 Annual Meeting, at which time the Board will revert to nine directors. Since 2019, the company has added seven new directors to its Board.
Greg Sandfort, Genesco’s lead independent director, said, “We welcome Matt and Carolyn to the Genesco Board. Having driven significant value creation at their respective companies, their experience and insights will serve Genesco well and support the company’s continued growth and strategic direction. We are committed to our ongoing board refreshment, including maintaining a highly engaged, independent board, while ensuring we have the right mix of skills and expertise. On behalf of the Board, I’d like to thank Matt and Kevin for their exemplary service, dedication and commitment to Genesco and all of our stakeholders.”
Mimi Vaughn, board chair, president and chief executive officer, Genesco, added, “I am delighted to welcome seasoned retail executives Matt Bilunas and Carolyn Bojanowski to our Board. We are in a transformative time in the retail industry, and we look forward to their leadership and many contributions. Matt and Carolyn will bring tremendous knowledge and perspectives into the boardroom as we continue our acceleration as a footwear-focused company. I’d also like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Matt and Kevin, who have given so much to ensure Genesco’s success and whose outstanding leadership has steered the company through extraordinary times. We will greatly miss their expertise, collaboration and wise counsel.”
With a career spanning 27 years, Bilunas brings finance, capital allocation, financial planning and analysis, technical accounting, operations, supply chain, e-commerce, and strategy experience to the Board. During his tenure at Best Buy, Bilunas held various global finance leadership roles.
Bojanowski brings to the Board more than 20 years of retail expertise driving e-commerce, dotcom merchandising, brand marketing, digital marketing, brand and product development, loyalty, and revenue optimization performance. She played an instrumental role in the introduction of Sephora’s Beauty Insider loyalty program.
