PetWise Appoints Founder Aaron Lamstein as Chief Executive Officer

– PetWise, Inc., a leading provider of solution-based pet products, has announced that the company’s founder, Aaron Lamstein, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Lamstein founded PetWise — then called Worldwise, Inc. — in 1990 and served as its CEO for 18 years, helping to grow the organization into one of the premier middle-market pet products companies. This announcement marks a new chapter for PetWise, driven by an enhanced focus on creating world-class pet products, advancing operations, accelerating innovation, and strengthening customer partnerships.

Lamstein brings deep expertise across the pet products and consumer sectors and has a proven track record of building brands, leading high-performing teams, and driving sustainable growth. Over the course of his career, Lamstein has successfully scaled multiple companies through a combination of innovation, operational discipline, and strong commercial execution.

He succeeds Mike Musso, who served as interim CEO since July.

“I’m excited to return to a company I’ve remained deeply passionate about since founding it,” said Lamstein. “I believe PetWise has a robust portfolio of trusted brands, deep category positions, and outstanding customer relationships. My vision for the Company is to build on this strong foundation while reigniting our entrepreneurial spirit, sharpening our operational excellence, and accelerating our speed to market.”

As Lamstein takes the helm at PetWise, the company’s priorities include:

• Strengthening leadership in core categories by delivering differentiated products that drive performance both in-store and online;

• Fostering an agile, action-oriented operating mindset that supports retail partners;
  
• Helping retail partners grow their business with products that drive velocity, increase basket size, and strengthen consumer engagement;
  
• Further integrating sustainability into designing, sourcing, and manufacturing products, improving both product quality and long-term efficiency;
  
• Enhancing execution consistency across all levels, from supply chain reliability and in-stock performance to merchandising and go-to-market strategies; and
  
• Continuing to prioritize and deepen customer partnerships.

“We are thrilled to welcome Aaron back to the PetWise family, and we’re thankful for the outstanding job Mike Musso did as interim CEO,” said Ryan McCarthy, Partner at A&M Capital. “Aaron’s return reflects our continued emphasis on attracting and developing top talent across the organization, while further enhancing customer relationships. As Aaron now leads the Company into its next phase, we believe PetWise is well-positioned to execute on its strategy and capture future opportunities in an increasingly competitive and innovation-driven market.”

A&M Capital, a multi-strategy private equity investment firm, is a financial sponsor for the company.