Academy Sports Hires Walmarts Gloeckler as Chief Merchandiser

Sports retailer Academy Sports + Outdoors has hired Wal-Mart Stores Inc. executive Michelle Gloeckler as executive vice president, chief merchandising officer and president of Academy International Ltd., the company’s global sourcing entity. She will start Aug. 29.

Gloeckler, 50, is currently the executive vice president of the consumables and health & wellness divisions and U.S. manufacturing lead for Walmart U.S. She joined Walmart in 2009 as the vice president of candy, seasonal food gifts and impulse items for Walmart U.S.

Prior to Walmart, she spent 21 years at The Hershey Co.

“I’m ecstatic to join the Academy Sports + Outdoors team, and I look forward to getting to know our merchant, planning, sourcing and product development team members, along with our vendors and manufacturing partners,” Gloeckler said in a news release. “I believe Academy’s everyday low price approach, community focused stores and the merchandise mix of national and private brands position it uniquely in the industry for future growth and success.”

 In 2015, Fortune magazine named Gloeckler to its list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business. In the same year, she was selected to lead the President’s Global Council of Women Leaders at Walmart.