McKitrick Is New CEO of Builders Emporium
Builders Emporium, the Irvine-based home improvement chain, has named James T. McKitrick as its new president and chief executive.
He succeeds acting president Ted W. Kazleman, who continues as executive vice president. Kazleman had assumed the presidency in April when Jack Edwards resigned as president and chief executive for personal reasons.
The changes are effective immediately.
McKitrick, 43, previously was executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Ames Department Stores and chairman of its Zayre Discount Stores. He began his retailing career in 1965 at K mart, working his way up from store management to corporate director of merchandising. He left to join T. G. Y. Discount Stores in Oklahoma City in 1984, where he became executive vice president and general manager. In 1987, McKitrick became president and chief operating officer of the G. C. Murphy division.
“He’s got a record in retailing, merchandising and operations that is sensational,” said James R. Birle, co-chairman and chief executive of Wickes Cos., the chain’s parent company. “He has a reputation as being a tremendous leader. He has creative insights and we just have enormous confidence in his ability.”
Builders Emporium is perhaps best known to Southern California consumers for its “We got the message, Mr. Sigoloff” advertisements. The ad campaign, which ran from 1982 until last year, featured former Wickes Chairman and Chief Executive Sanford C. Sigoloff, who stepped down after the Santa Monica company was acquired by Birle’s investment group, WCI Holdings late last year.
WCI had planned to sell Builders Emporium but recently decided to keep the chain, which operates stores in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas, because it is a valuable asset, Birle said.
“We will focus our attention primarily in California and Nevada. We feel Builders Emporium is a California company, we want to grow it and enhance it where its heritage lies,” Birle said. It had 1988 sales of about $675 million.
