Ken Hicks is a seasoned leader with almost 40 years of experience in the retail industry. He joined PetSmart in 2024 as the President & Chief Executive Officer, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge in retail strategy, operations, merchandising and customer experience, and a proven track record of driving growth and value creation.

Ken previously served as CEO and Executive Chairman at Academy Sports + Outdoors where they completed an initial public offering. Prior to that, he served as CEO of Foot Locker. In both of these roles, he drove meaningful improvements in customer experience which led to increased sales and profitability and resulted in substantial growth in market value. 

First Job: Ken began his retail career at a nursery filling bags of dirt, where he learned patience and the value of paying attention to small details.

Education: Ken graduated from The United States Military Academy at West Point and served in the U.S. Army. He also earned an M.B.A. with highest distinction from Harvard Business School.

Hobbies: He and his wife Lucy have been married for 50 years and have a Boston Terrier named Skywalker.

Board Involvement: Ken serves on the Board of Directors of PetSmart and Academy Sports + Outdoor.