Design Within Reach Inc announced that Peter Lynch, a thirty-year veteran of the retail industry with experience as President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for many high profile and successful specialty retail, big box, outlet and department stores, has been appointed to the Company's Board of Directors effective October 24, 2006.
"We are pleased that Peter Lynch is joining our board," said Ray Brunner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Design Within Reach.
"We welcome the financial knowledge that he brings to the board and his many years of retail industry experience. We look forward to working with Peter as we continue our turnaround plan to return the Company to profitability.”
Mr. Lynch is Senior Managing Director of DJM Realty, LLC, a diversified real estate consulting and advisory firm. Prior to joining DJM, from 1997 to 2003, he served as Executive Vice President Worldwide Operations of Warner Bros Studio Stores, where he led a complex closedown of the Studio Stores following the merger of AOL and Time Warner.
Mr. Lynch has also been Chief Operating Officer of Sideout Sport, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Registry Stores, and President of Baby? Guess/Guess? Kids retail division. Prior to that, he served as Chief Financial Officer of House of Fabrics Inc and Store Furnishings International Inc.
From 1982 to 1990, Mr. Lynch was with The Emporium Capwell Department Store, where he rose through the ranks to become the Executive Vice President, Finance and Operations for this $800 million department store division of Carter Hawley Hale.
Mr. Lynch will stand for re-election to the Company's Board of Directors when his current term expires at the Company's 2009 annual meeting of stockholders.