Herbert Mines Associates Recruits Chief Stores Officer for National Vision Holdings

July 19, 2024 – New York-based retail and consumer focused executive search firm Herbert Mines Associates has helped to recruit Mark Banner as the chief stores officer for National Vision Holdings, Inc. He succeeds Sharon Petitt, who previously held the role and helped the company open more than 900 new stores since 2006. “Mark’s strong belief in the importance of customer experience, his background in consultative selling, and his commitment to people align perfectly with our culture and values,” said Reade Fahs, CEO of National Vision. “I know Mark will be a strong advocate for our store associates, patients and customers, and I am really looking forward to working with him.”
A specialty retailer who joins the company after a seven-year tenure at Sleep Number, the company stated, Mr. Banner brings team leadership expertise in sales, sales operations, digital, promotion and real estate. Before Sleep Number, he dedicated 18 years to Signet Jewelers, a global specialty retailer jeweler, beginning his career at Signet as a store manager before rising through the ranks to district manager, vice president of regional operations, and ultimately, vice president of strategic integration.
“National Vision has a remarkable track record of innovation and excellence in the optical retail industry,” said Mr. Banner. “Stores are the backbone of the customer experience. The opportunity to lead such a talented team is incredibly exciting, as is the opportunity to bring my experience and passion for specialty retail to a company that values its people and is dedicated to improving the lives of its customers.”
National Vision is one of the largest optical retail companies in the United States with over 1,200 stores in 38 states and Puerto Rico. It operates America’s Best, Eyeglass World and Vista Opticals inside select Fred Meyer stores and on select military bases, and the DiscountContacts.com website.
Established in 1978, Herbert Mines is a specialist search firm focusing on the retail, fashion and apparel, beauty, consumer products and services, hospitality, leisure, restaurant, and digital/technology industries. The firm is noted for its C-suite recruiting work. Herbert Mines has had upwards of 3,600 searches during the tenure of Hal Reiter, who joined the firm in 1993 as president, and was appointed chairman and chief executive officer in 1998.
Related: Herbert Mines Associates Recruits Chief Merchandising Officer for Claire’s Holdings
Brenda Malloy is the firm’s president. She brings over 40 years of experience to Herbert Mines Associates. During her career, she has authored numerous articles on retail CEO succession, omnichannel leadership, in addition to being a featured speaker at the National Retail Federation’s annual convention in New York City. Working with leading retailers at the senior most–levels to assemble winning leadership teams, Ms. Malloy primarily recruits board directors, CEOs, and their direct reports for publicly traded, privately held and private equity backed companies spanning vertical specialty, lifestyle and branded retail, off-price/value, grocery, hardlines, mass, and the specialty department store sectors.
Recent Work
Herbert Mines Associates recently assisted in the recruitment of Seth Ellison as CEO of Brixton, an Altamont Capital Partners company. He replaced Raphael Peck, who left the company is December. “Herbert Mines Associates is proud to have partnered with Altamont Capital Partners to place Seth Ellison as CEO of Brixton,” the firm said in a LinkedIn post. “As referenced in Shop-eat-surf, we launched the search with a cultural immersion at the brand’s HQ.”
Herbert Mines Associates Fills Board Position for Vera Bradley
Herbert Mines Associates has assisted in selection of Bradley Weston, seasoned retail executive and former CEO of Party City Holdings, Inc., who has been nominated to join its board of directors of NASDAQ-traded Vera Bradley Inc. “We are so pleased to welcome Brad Weston as the newest member of the Vera Bradley, Inc. board of directors,” said Jackie Ardrey, CEO. “As we continue to make progress on project restoration, our strategic plan to drive long-term profitable growth and deliver value to our shareholders, Brad’s wealth of omnichannel retail experience, strong merchandising background, and visionary leadership will be invaluable assets. Weston is a battle-tested executive with a diverse background, having successfully operated in mature, start-up, turnaround/transformation, and high-growth situations over his 35-year retail career.”
Scott Olivet, operating partner at Altamont Capital Partners, told Shop-eat-surf that “Herbert Mines started with a cultural immersion in Orange County in early December, visiting independent accounts, Brixton retail, and a sampling of national retailers. They met with an independent sales rep, sales associates of action sport retailers, members of the management team, and the board of directors.”
“We ran a very comprehensive search and Seth’s range of experiences was unique,” said Keoni Schwartz, co-founder of Altamont Capital Partners, which owns Brixton. “He started in sports and action sports but has spent the last decade in lifestyle apparel; led brands equally relevant for men and women; led both domestic and international businesses; ran DTC businesses but is wholesale focused; he started in design, merch, and sales, but has led a variety of both small and very large organizations as president and CEO.”
Related: Herbert Mines Associates Places Chief Marketing Officer for Kravet Inc.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media