Erik Gast to join Shoe Carnival as chief financial officer

Shoe Carnival, Inc. has named Erik Gast as the company’s executive vice president, chief financial officer, effective April 24, 2023.

Bringing over 30 years of finance experience with both private and public companies, Gast will join the company from Fleet Farm Group, LLC, where he has been the executive vice president & chief financial officer since 2020. In that role, the company said in a release, Gast was instrumental in driving improved financial performance and developing long term strategic plans.

Commenting on Gast’s appointment as new CFO, Mark J. Worden, the company’s president and chief executive officer, said: “We’re excited to welcome Erik to our leadership team. His distinguished career in finance and accounting, along with his experience in strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, and his deep knowledge of the retail industry, will play a key role in our strategic growth initiatives as we seek to become a multi-billion-dollar retailer.”

Prior to that position, Gast held numerous executive leadership roles at other major retailers and customer facing brands, including serving as the senior vice president, finance & chief accounting officer at Great Wolf Resorts and serving in vice president, finance, controller and treasurer positions at Pilot Travel Centers, Family Dollar and Ace Hardware.

Gast holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Bethany College and an MBA from The Ohio State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Gast, the company added, succeeds W. Kerry Jackson, who will be retiring after a 35-year career with Shoe Carnival. Jackson will continue to serve as the company’s senior executive vice president, chief financial and administrative officer and treasurer until April 24, 2023, and will remain with the company as its chief administrative officer until his retirement on May 9, 2023 to assist with the transition.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors and management, I’d also like to thank Kerry for his leadership and many contributions over the course of his career with Shoe Carnival. Kerry has helped Shoe Carnival accomplish numerous significant milestones, including our initial public offering in 1993, exceeding the 1 billion dollars annual sales mark in fiscal 2016 and completing our first acquisition in the company’s history in 2021,” added Worden.