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Steve Fishman is chairman, chief executive officer, and president of Big Lots, Inc., a Fortune 500 retail corporation with annual revenues of almost $4.5 billion. As the nation’s largest broadline closeout retailer, Big Lots offers consumers a wide range of bargain-priced merchandise, including brand-name closeouts, seasonal products, consumables, and furniture.
Fishman joined Big Lots in July 2005. He oversees a retail enterprise with over 1,400 stores and more than 38,000 associates across the United States. A 30-year veteran of the retail industry, Fishman provides the strategic direction for Big Lots’ long-term growth, which includes building the company’s buying organization, increasing brand recognition, and maximizing earnings potential.
His extensive retail experience, financial expertise, and merchandising skills positioned him for his new post. Most recently he served as CEO/president and chief restructuring officer of Rhodes Furniture, leading the national retailer through a successful reorganization to improve operating performance.
Prior to Rhodes, Fishman was the chairman and CEO of Frank’s Nursery & Crafts, a lawn and garden specialty retailer, where he was recruited to accomplish similar repositioning objectives. Under his leadership, Frank’s dramatically improved profitability, emerged from bankruptcy, and completed a public offering in less than a year.
From 1993 to 1999, Fishman served as chairman and chief executive officer of Pamida, formerly a publicly held general merchandise discount retailer. During his tenure, Pamida developed a strategy to compete in an increasingly challenging retail environment, grew sales and profit, and delivered significant returns for shareholders. In 1999, Pamida was acquired by ShopKo Stores.
Fishman’s experience also includes senior executive merchandising positions with Federated Department Stores and May Company. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in business administration from Columbia College. | 