(PRESS RELEASE) DENVER — Outward Hound has announced the promotion of Michael Black to CEO. In his new role, Black will be responsible for the strategic day-to-day leadership of the pet brand portfolio for future growth. Black succeeds Outward Hound founder Kyle Hansen, who will transition to a new role as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.
“Since Michael’s time as Senior Pet Buyer at Walmart, he has known and worked with our senior management team,” said Hansen. “Michael has a deep understanding of the pet retail marketplace, and brings a strategic, collaborative, process-driven approach that will help us better serve our customers in the coming years. As our new Chief Executive Officer, Michael’s leadership will be critical to reaching new pet parents in an evolving marketplace.”
Since joining Outward Hound in May 2019, Black’s leadership as Chief Revenue Officer has been instrumental in driving growth in Outward Hound’s key categories. He has championed the company’s E-Commerce focus while strengthening retail partnerships and programs. Always with an eye on the end consumer, Black’s leadership has resulted in some of Outward Hound’s most impressive P&L results. Prior to joining Outward Hound, Black held several Senior Roles at Walmart and Reckitt Benckiser, where he focused on sales, brand building, P&L and category growth.
“Over 20 years ago, Kyle Hansen founded a company with the mission to improve the lives of pet parents and the furry kids they love. Under his direction as its CEO, Kyle has stayed true to this mission and led Outward Hound to become one of the largest and most recognizable brands in Pet Supplies,” said Black. “It’s a privilege to be able to follow in Kyle’s footsteps as the CEO of Outward Hound. By continuing to evolve how we operate in response to changing consumer preferences online and in store, I believe that Outward Hound will only continue to thrive in the coming years.”