From our stores to our corporate offices, everyone at The Guitar Center Company is united by music.
Gabe DalportoCEOView Bio(opens bio data in dialog modal)
Gabe Dalporto
CEO
Gabe Dalporto joined the Guitar Center Company as Chief Executive Officer in 2023 and has served as a member of the Board since December 2018. Before the Guitar Center Company, Gabe was Chief Executive Officer of Udacity, Inc., an online provider of technology education programs from 2019 to 2022. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of LendingTree, a company where he has previously held various roles, including Chief Marketing Officer, President Mortgage & Chief Marketing Officer, and Chief Financial Officer.
He earned a BS in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Florida and an MS in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Ken C. HicksChairman of the BoardView Bio(opens bio data in dialog modal)
Ken C. Hicks
Chairman of the Board
Ken C. Hicks was appointed Chairman of the Guitar Center Company’s Board of Directors in October 2023. Ken is a seasoned retail industry executive with over 40 years of operations and management experience. He currently serves as the Executive Chairman of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc., and previously served as Chairman, President and CEO of the company, where he led its transition to becoming a public company. Before that, he served as the Chairman, President, and CEO of Foot Locker, Inc. and has held leadership positions at J.C. Penney, Payless ShoeSource, Home Shopping Network, May Department Stores Company, and McKinsey & Company. Hicks currently serves on the board of directors of Avery Dennison Corporation and previously served on the board of directors of Whole Foods Market.
Ken graduated from the United States Military Academy and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Tim Martin Chief Financial OfficerView Bio(opens bio data in dialog modal)
Tim Martin
Chief Financial Officer
Tim Martin serves as Chief Financial Officer of the Guitar Center Company. Tim returned to Guitar Center in 2023, previously serving as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer from 2012 to 2022. Prior to his return, Tim served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Torrid Holdings, Inc., a direct-to-consumer apparel, intimates, and accessories brand from 2022 to 2023. He previously served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Land’s End from 2010 to 2012 and as Chief Financial Officer of Coldwater Creek from 2006 to 2009.
Tim graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a degree in accounting.
Michael MartinEVP Retail Sales and Operations, Guitar CenterView Bio(opens bio data in dialog modal)
Michael Martin
EVP Retail Sales and Operations, Guitar Center
Michael Martin is the EVP, Retail Sales and Operations for Guitar Center and leads the expansive store network, guiding strategic initiatives across our 300-plus stores and directing a team of 6,000 employees, including retail store operations associates, sales associates, music instrument repair technicians and lessons instructors.
He began his career at Staples during its explosive growth phase, spending 26 years at the worldwide leader in office supplies, where he held various senior leadership roles in sales, operations, and strategic initiatives. Following his illustrious career at Staples, he took on the role of Executive Vice President of Retail at Fanatics, where he led their retail organization and doubled the business in under four years. Michael then landed the Executive Head of Retail Operations at Wayfair role, where he orchestrated the development and implementation of the store operating model platform across five brands for store sizes ranging from 10K to 200K square feet. In his 30-plus years in retail, he has amassed many skills spanning P&L management, strategic integrations, marketing initiatives, real estate expansion, field leadership, and e-commerce unification. He is renowned for his ability to build and inspire high-performing teams, catalyze innovation, and enhance operational efficiencies.
Michael graduated from Boston College with a degree in Economics.
Kristin ShaneEVP, Chief Merchandising and Marketing OfficerView Bio(opens bio data in dialog modal)
Kristin Shane
EVP, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer
Kristin Shane leads Guitar Center Merchandising and Marketing. With over 20 years of experience in retail merchandising for iconic brands, she is a transformational merchandising leader with proven success in developing and implementing effective strategies and operational excellence across diverse consumer product and retail businesses.
Prior to her role at Guitar Center, Kristin was the Chief Merchandising Officer at PetSmart, where she served as Senior Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer, driving billions in incremental sales and market expansion. She also spent eleven years at Target, where she demonstrated her merchandising prowess as Vice President Merchandise Manager for the Beauty and Personal Care Business, leading to significant growth and earning the WWD’s Best Beauty Retailer Award. Kristin enriched her retail portfolio by advising high-growth beauty brands, helping to drive their strategic direction and go to market strategies.
Jeff Gottlieb assumed the role of President in April 2019 and is responsible for Music & Arts, the Guitar Center Company’s specialty retailer focused on band & orchestra instruments for sale and rental. He oversees over 200+ retail stores, 120+ educational representatives and 300+ affiliate locations. Jeff has extensive experience leading complex retail operations, including managing companies through strong growth initiatives. Prior to joining Music & Arts, Jeff held executive positions at Sur La Table and Jockey International, Inc
Zac BogartSVP Digital MarketingView Bio(opens bio data in dialog modal)
Zac Bogart
SVP Digital Marketing
Zac Bogart is the SVP of Digital Marketing and joined the organization in January 2024. He oversees Guitar Center’s eCommerce channels, Contact Center, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) team. He is a data-driven digital marketing executive with deep experience leading high-growth teams and has a significant background in the music industry and pro audio sector. Most recently, he was CMO at ConsumerAffairs, a rapidly growing online marketplace where millions of consumers research purchases, connect with brands, transact, write reviews, and stay updated on important news. Zac also served as Senior Director of Digital Marketing at Sweetwater, where he was responsible for building out the brand’s online footprint in the late 2010s, resulting in their accelerated digital growth. Additionally, he worked as Director of Customer Acquisition at Universal Audio. A graduate of the University of Washington, Zac is also an accomplished musician.
Anne BuchananSVP, Chief Human Resources OfficerView Bio(opens bio data in dialog modal)
Anne Buchanan
SVP, Chief Human Resources Officer
Anne Buchanan is the Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer for the organization. She assumed the role in June 2018, and she is responsible for the organization’s human resources strategy and enabling the Guitar Center Company to attract, motivate, develop, and retain a diverse and inclusive workforce. Anne joined the company from Global Brands Group (GBG), where she led the human resources strategy for the fashion and retail business which included BCBG, BCBGeneration, bebe, Hervé Léger, Joe’s Jeans and Juicy Couture. Prior to GBG, Anne served as the SVP of Human Resources for BCBGMAXAZRIA Group, and has also served in various human resource roles with Smile Brands and Cadence Design Systems.
Todd LycheChief Data and Technology OfficerView Bio(opens bio data in dialog modal)
Todd Lyche
Chief Data and Technology Officer
Todd Lyche joined the Guitar Center Company in 2007, and currently serves as Chief Data and Technology Officer. Todd has held a number of positions with the Guitar Center Company, including Chief Technology Officer, VP of Enterprise Architecture, VP of IT Infrastructure and VP of Product Management. He has helped procure, design and implement key technologies for the company, including omnichannel retail, POS web services, hybrid data center usage leveraging SaaS, and private and public data centers. Prior to joining the Guitar Center Company, Todd held roles at startup companies Digital Insight and Move, Inc., and he began his career working with Computer Sciences Corporation after receiving a degree in mathematics from UC Santa Barbara.
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