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BJ’s hires Paul Cichocki to oversee membership

Bain & Co. veteran brings analytics, business transformation expertise to wholesale club

Russell Redman

April 2, 2020

1 Min Read
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BJ’s operates 218 warehouse clubs and 145 BJ’s Gas locations in 17 states.BJ's Wholesale Club

Paul Cichocki has joined BJ’s Wholesale Club as executive vice president of membership, analytics and business transformation.

Paul_Cichocki-BJs_Wholesale_Club.jpg

Cichocki (left) started at the company effective April 1, Westborough, Mass.-based BJ’s said. He will direct the warehouse club chain’s membership, marketing and analytics organizations and report directly to President and CEO Lee Delaney.

For its 2019 fiscal year ended Feb. 1, BJ’s reported a 6.8% year-over-year gain in membership fee income and said the company upheld its all-time-high member renewal rate of 87%.

“I am excited to welcome Paul to the BJ’s team,” Delaney said in a statement. “Paul’s extensive experience in leading performance improvement and business transformation make him instrumental as we continue to transform BJ’s Wholesale Club. Integrating our membership, marketing and analytics organizations under Paul’s leadership further supports accelerating our strategic initiatives in these areas.”

Cichocki comes to BJ’s after 23 years at Bain & Co., where he was a partner. At the management consulting firm, he advised clients on performance improvement and business transformation across a range of industry sectors, including retail, consumer products, financial services and food and beverage.

Before joining Bain in 1997, Cichocki served as an operating manager at PepsiCo division Frito-Lay.

Related:BJ’s Wholesale Club drives changes after lackluster Q4, fiscal year sales

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the BJ’s team,” Cichocki said. “BJ’s has made significant progress over the last few years by making strategic investments and building new capabilities to build a foundation to accelerate growth. I look forward to partnering with the team to capitalize on the exciting opportunities ahead.”

Overall, BJ’s operates 218 warehouse clubs and 145 BJ’s Gas locations in 17 states.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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