Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share The Discipline of Leadership: Ken Hicks on Service, Strategy, and Success
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
The Discipline of Leadership: Ken Hicks on Service, Strategy, and Success
Strategy gets headlines; execution wins seasons.
From West Point to the helm of PetSmart, Ken Hicks has built a leadership legacy defined by discipline, empathy, and execution. Before leading billion-dollar turnarounds at Foot Locker and Academy Sports + Outdoors, his first retail job was far simpler — filling bags of dirt at a local nursery, where he learned the patience and precision that still shape his leadership philosophy today.
In this episode of Retail Relates, Rich Honiball and Tony Wells (a fellow service-academy graduate) sit down with Ken to explore what it means to lead with purpose and humility. They discuss how lessons from military service translate into modern leadership, why recognition is a strategy, and how culture is built one consistent act at a time.
Ken’s journey reminds us that leadership isn’t about control — it’s about clarity, care, and creating conditions for others to succeed. A conversation on service, strategy, and the human side of execution.
🎧 Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, GoodPods and your favorite platforms.
Ken Hicks Bio:
Ken Hicks is a seasoned retail leader with nearly 40 years of experience driving growth, profitability, and purpose across some of the world’s most recognized brands. He joined PetSmart in 2024 as President and CEO, bringing deep expertise in retail strategy, merchandising, operations, and customer experience.
Before joining PetSmart, Ken served as CEO and Executive Chairman at Academy Sports + Outdoors, where he guided the company through a successful IPO and organizational transformation. Prior to that, he was CEO of Foot Locker, leading a major turnaround that revitalized customer experience, improved profitability, and significantly grew market value. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles with JCPenney, Payless ShoeSource, Home Shopping Network, May Department Stores, and McKinsey & Company.
Ken is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and a U.S. Army veteran. He also holds an MBA with highest distinction from Harvard Business School. He serves on the Boards of PetSmart and Academy Sports + Outdoors. Ken and his wife Lucy, married for over 50 years, share a Boston Terrier named Skywalker—and a belief that great leadership is measured not by authority, but by the success of those you lead.
View all episodes
By The Retail Relates TeamStrategy gets headlines; execution wins seasons.
From West Point to the helm of PetSmart, Ken Hicks has built a leadership legacy defined by discipline, empathy, and execution. Before leading billion-dollar turnarounds at Foot Locker and Academy Sports + Outdoors, his first retail job was far simpler — filling bags of dirt at a local nursery, where he learned the patience and precision that still shape his leadership philosophy today.
In this episode of Retail Relates, Rich Honiball and Tony Wells (a fellow service-academy graduate) sit down with Ken to explore what it means to lead with purpose and humility. They discuss how lessons from military service translate into modern leadership, why recognition is a strategy, and how culture is built one consistent act at a time.
Ken’s journey reminds us that leadership isn’t about control — it’s about clarity, care, and creating conditions for others to succeed. A conversation on service, strategy, and the human side of execution.
🎧 Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, GoodPods and your favorite platforms.
Ken Hicks Bio:
Ken Hicks is a seasoned retail leader with nearly 40 years of experience driving growth, profitability, and purpose across some of the world’s most recognized brands. He joined PetSmart in 2024 as President and CEO, bringing deep expertise in retail strategy, merchandising, operations, and customer experience.
Before joining PetSmart, Ken served as CEO and Executive Chairman at Academy Sports + Outdoors, where he guided the company through a successful IPO and organizational transformation. Prior to that, he was CEO of Foot Locker, leading a major turnaround that revitalized customer experience, improved profitability, and significantly grew market value. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles with JCPenney, Payless ShoeSource, Home Shopping Network, May Department Stores, and McKinsey & Company.
Ken is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and a U.S. Army veteran. He also holds an MBA with highest distinction from Harvard Business School. He serves on the Boards of PetSmart and Academy Sports + Outdoors. Ken and his wife Lucy, married for over 50 years, share a Boston Terrier named Skywalker—and a belief that great leadership is measured not by authority, but by the success of those you lead.