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BJ’s Wholesale Club taps Monica Schwartz as chief digital officer

Ex-Home Depot VP takes over from BJ’s first CDO Rafeh Masood

Russell Redman

July 23, 2020

2 Min Read
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By early next year, BJ’s Wholesale Clubs is slated to raise its club count to 221.BJ's Wholesale Club

Former Home Depot executive Monica Schwartz is joining BJ’s Wholesale Club as senior vice president and chief digital officer.

BJ’s said Thursday that Schwartz will start in the post on Aug. 3. In the role, she will lead the warehouse club chain’s digital business and report directly to President and CEO Lee Delaney.

Schwartz fills the vacancy left by Rafeh Masood, who joined home goods retailer Bed Bath & Beyond in May as executive vice president and chief digital officer. Masood was BJ’s first chief digital officer, joining the company in mid-2017.

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Most recently, Schwartz (left) served as vice president of online merchandising at home improvement retail giant Home Depot, where she oversaw the chain’s online merchandising and category experience across desktop, mobile web and app channels. Before that, she was executive vice president of digital at Nine West Holdings, chief global digital officer Stuart Weitzman Holdings, executive director of e-commerce at David Yurman Enterprise and a general manager at eBay.

“I am excited to join the BJ’s team and look forward to working alongside a talented group of people to continue to scale and enhance the company’s digital capabilities,” Schwartz said in a statement. “BJ’s has made significant progress in its digital transformation, and I look forward to partnering with the team to continue to build on this momentum and position the company for long-term success.”

Related:Sales at BJ’s Wholesale surge over 20% in first quarter

BJ’s said its digital projects in recent years have included the launch of an improved website, a mobile app, digital coupons, buy-online-pickup-in-club service and same-day grocery delivery, among other efforts. Schwartz will continue to build on these capabilities and drive further enhancement to deliver value and convenience to members.

“We remain committed to scaling our digital business and launching new offerings that deliver convenience and delight our members,” Delaney stated. “We’re thrilled Monica is joining the team. Her extensive knowledge, experience and diverse background will be instrumental as we continue to accelerate our digital priorities and transform BJ’s Wholesale Club.”   

Westborough, Mass.-based BJ’s currently operates 218 membership warehouse clubs and 147 BJ’s Gas stations in 17 states.

By early next year, BJ’s is slated to raise its wholesale club count to 221. Plans call for a new club and fuel station to open in Chesterfield, Mich. on July 31, and yesterday the company said it aims to open new clubs in Long Island City (in the New York City borough of Queens) and Newburgh, N.Y., in early 2021. The Newburgh location also will have a BJ’s Gas station.

Related:BJ’s hires Paul Cichocki to oversee membership

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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