Music Inc Magazine December 2024

GUITAR CENTER NAMES MIKE SCHULTHEIS AS EVP, CHIEF STORES OFFICER G uitar Center has ap- pointed Mike Schul-

of U.S. stores for PetSmart, where he led the store teams to increased revenues of over 40% within five years. He practices a hands-on leader- ship style of learning from the front lines by often vis- iting stores in person and connecting with associates and customers. His previous experience includes building

boosting revenue, expanding capabilities, streamlining processes, and developing top- notch teams, Mike will empower our Guitar Center stores to deliver the growth we know we are capable of,” Dalporto said. “He brings over 30 years of experience at well-known companies, such as PetSmart and Office Depot. He is the exceptional leader that our store teams deserve, and I am extremely excited for our associates to collaborate with him.” “I am thrilled to join the Guitar Center leadership team,” Schultheis said. “Guitar Center is a brand with a loyal customer base of the world’s most passionate musicians, and I plan to help further reinforce and bolster that to deliver a best-in-class store experi- ence.” {guitarcenter.com}

theis as its executive vice president (EVP) and chief stores officer, effective im- mediately. In his new role, Schultheis will oversee and manage every facet of Gui- tar Center retail stores. He will report directly to CEO Gabe Dalporto. Schultheis’

Mike Schultheis

appointment reflects Guitar Center’s ongoing initiatives to generate growth through an engaging and experiential store environment supported by a deeply knowledgeable and engaging sales team. Most recently, Schultheis was the SVP

selling cultures, managing service-based busi- ness, delivering deep product expertise and training, and enhancing operational efficien- cies — all while delivering an outstanding customer experience. “With a proven retail track record of

22 I MUSIC INC. I DECEMBER 2024

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