Mary Winston has become one of only 33 women at the head of a Fortune 500 company after she became Bed, Bath & Beyond’s new interim CEO.
She is the first black woman to run a Fortune 500 company since Ursula Burns, the chairman, and CEO of VEON. Winston is no stranger to success on the executive level. She started out as a CPA and auditor at Arthur Anderson & Co, and then went on to hold executive positions at Giant Eagle Inc., Scholastic Corporation, and Pfizer, The Root reports. Winston most recently worked as the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Family Dollar Stores.
Winston released a press release on her new interim position.
“Together with the Board, including the members of the Business Transformation and Strategy Review Committee, the leadership team and our more than 60,000 associates, I look forward to building an even stronger future for Bed Bath & Beyond…As we continue to review our business initiatives, we will be focused on driving continued margin improvement, enhancing the in-store and online experience, and accelerating our transformation to the benefit of our shareholders, customers and other stakeholders.”
Patrick Gaston, Independent Chairman of the Bed Bath & Beyond Board, added,
“Bed Bath & Beyond has a significant opportunity to drive value creation by building on its great brands and strong customer affinity…As the Company continues its efforts to improve its financial performance and enhance its competitive position, the Board determined that now is the right time to identify the next generation of leadership. We are fortunate to have someone of Mary’s caliber to serve as Interim CEO while the Board conducts a search for a permanent successor, and are confident in her ability to lead the Company forward during this transition period,” he added.
According to Fortune, Winston is one of 33 women to hold the CEO title at a Fortune 500 company.
Press play below for more on Ursula Burns, the first black woman to run a Fortune 500 company.
