Tilly’s Inc. in Irvine has appointed Edmond Thomas, former chief executive of Foothill Ranch-based Wet Seal LLC, its president and chief executive, effective Oct. 12.
Thomas will replace Daniel Griesemer, who stepped down today.
Thomas returns to Tilly’s after serving in a similar role from September 2005 to October 2007. He recently completed a third stint as an executive with Wet Seal, leading the company through its Chapter 11 bankruptcy and later acquisition by Versa Capital Management LLC in April.
“Based on his track record, extensive industry experience and depth of insight into Tilly’s, Ed is uniquely qualified for this position,” Hezy Shaked, Tilly’s founder and executive chairman, said.
Shaked thanked Griesemer “for his many valuable contributions,” and added that Thomas’ “leadership skills and passion make him the ideal choice to lead Tilly’s into the future.”
“We are confident that under his direction, we can drive long-term growth and profitability and create significant value for stockholders,” Shaked said in a statement.
The Irvine-based apparel, footwear and accessories retailer’s net sales were $130 million for the August quarter. That’s up 6% from $123 million for the same period last year and roughly in line with analysts anticipated revenue of $130.3 million. Its market capitalization is about $221 million.
