Dogtopia Names Former President and CEO of PetSmart to its Board of Directors

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Dogtopia Enterprises, a group of dog daycare, boarding, training and spa facilities, recently announced that former president and CEO of PetSmart, David K. Lenhardt, has been appointed to Dogtopia’s board of directors.

Lenhardt served as the president and CEO of PetSmart and spent more than 14 years with the company before stepping down in 2015 after BC Partners, a private equity firm, took the company private.

Dogtopia Board Chairman Peter H. Thomas is pleased to have Lenhardt join a talented Dogtopia board of directors.

“David is a deeply experienced businessman and leader in the pet industry. He will have a tremendous impact on our company and strategic vision,” Thomas said.

Dogtopia ended 2016 with a robust 19.2 percent comparable sales growth. With 44 stores open and more than 60 additional locations sold, Dogtopia is on track to have approximately 75 locations operating by December 2017 in several new major markets.

“I am very excited to join the Dogtopia team and look forward to helping grow this powerful brand in the pet services market,” Lenhardt said.

Dogtopia CEO and President Neil Gill says that the company is “very excited” for Lenhardt to help Dogtopia grow with the help of his “extensive knowledge” of the pet industry. According to Gill, Lenhardt has a “whole range of insights” and hands-on experience in many aspects of the pet care industry, including retail, pet insurance, boarding and day care, and he is looking forward to Lenhardt “utilizing his skills.”

With Lenhardt now a member of the board of directors, Gill hopes Lenhardt’s knowledge and experience will help Dogtopia in making good decisions about the future and reaching set goals, especially when it comes to the company’s expansion into the retail arena.

Prior to this role, Lenhardt served in multiple senior leadership roles at PetSmart from 2000-2012. From 1996 to 2000, he served as manager of Bain & Company, Inc., where he led consulting teams for retail, technology and e-commerce clients. Lenhardt also has served as an analyst in the corporate finance and Latin American groups of Merrill Lynch & Co.’s investment banking division. He also serves as a director of Phoenix Children’s Hospital and is a former board member of Banfield Pet Hospitals.