FRAMINGHAM (06/23/2000) - Continuing with its long-term expansion plans, Toysrus.com this week announced the recent hiring of new executives to help beef up its information technology infrastructure, customer service and fulfillment operations.
The Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey-based online retailer's new senior managers collectively bring more than 70 years of related experience from established businesses such as The Gap Inc., American Express Corp., Reebok International Ltd. and Calvin Klein Inc.
"Now, we're very fortunate in the fact that the way the marketplace is changing today, we can offer people a very interesting opportunity - because of the brand name, because of the opportunity we've got - and at the same time, they get a chance to get some pre-IPO stock," Toysrus.com CEO John Barbour said during a recent interview.
The new hires at Toysrus.com are the following:
- Jim Brownell, vice president of IT, who will be charged with managing IT for Toysrus.com's expanding distribution and fulfillment network. Brownell has spent the past 19 years at The Gap in San Francisco.
- Michael Blancone, who will serve as chief logistics officer, brings almost 30 years of experience managing high-volume distribution functions at companies such as Calvin Klein and Amex, both based in New York, and Stoughton, Massachusetts-based Reebok.
- David Braxton, vice president of customer service, brings seven years of experience from Amex.
- Ray Arthur, who will take over as vice president of finance and administration, brings nearly 20 years of experience from Paramus, New Jersey-based Toys R Us Inc. and General Signal Corp.
During the past holiday season, Toysrus.com suffered highly publicized difficulties when it was unable to fulfill some customer orders in time for Christmas. The retailer has been taking steps to beef up operations ever since.