Lee Delaney, the president and CEO of BJ’s Wholesale Club, died unexpectedly on Thursday of ‘suspected natural causes’, according to a statement released by the company on Friday. He was 49.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the death of Lee Delaney,” Christopher J. Baldwin, the company’s executive chairman, said in a statement. “Lee was a brilliant and humble leader who cared deeply for his colleagues, his family and his community.”
Mr. Delaney joined BJs in 2016 as executive vice president and growth officer. He was promoted to president in 2019 and became CEO last year. Prior to joining BJs, he was a partner in the Boston office of Bain & Company from 1996 to 2016. Mr. Delaney earned a master’s degree in business administration from Carnegie Mellon University and studied at the University of Massachusetts, where he majored in computer science. science and mathematics.
Mr. Delaney led the company through the unexpected changes in consumer demand prompted by the pandemic, and many customers stockpiled wholesale supplies while at home. “2020 was a remarkable, transformative and challenging year that structurally changed our business for the better,” he said. Delaney said in the company’s latest quarterly earnings report.
The management of the BJ appointed Bob Eddy, the chief administrative officer and financial officer, to serve as interim chief executive of the company. Mr. Eddy joined the company in 2007 and became CFO in 2011 and added the post of administrative head in 2018.
“Bob has worked closely with Lee and has played an integral role in the transformation and growth of BJ’s Wholesale Club,” he said. Baldwin said. He said the company would announce decisions on its permanent executive leadership within a fairly short period of time.
BJs, based in Westborough, Massachusetts, operates 221 clubs and 151 BJs Gas Locations in 17 states.