Bob’s Discount Furniture is pleased to share that Dennis LeClair has been named a 2024 “40 Under 40” by Furniture Today. Dennis is the buyer for dining room furniture, accent furniture and outdoor furniture at Bob’s.
This recognition by Furniture Today highlights the next generation of industry leaders who are trailblazers and whose actions will carry the industry forward for decades to come.
“Dennis is a great merchant and constantly engaged about product and driving the business,” said Carol Glaser, Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer. “He is collaborative and enjoys mentoring our young talent.”
Dennis started with Bob’s in 2019 and brought a depth of experience and knowledge from his tenure as a buyer with Bed Bath & Beyond. Dennis joined Bed Bath & Beyond after graduating from the Gabelli School of Business at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island.
A native of New England, Dennis was familiar with the Bob’s brand and shares that he was star-struck when he first met the company’s founder Bob Kaufman. He said the entrepreneurial attitude of the business drew him to the company and the growth trajectory has kept him engaged and passionate about Bob’s.
“Bob’s is an incredibly unique company in that it has a deep and storied legacy in the industry, but it also has a young and hungry spirit… it has start-up type of energy right now,” shared Dennis. “I am with Bob’s for the long haul. I see the vision; I see the pathway and I am looking to continue to grow.”
Dennis credits his success in part to his mentors, Carol Glaser, Tracy Paccione, Vice President of Merchandising and Lynn Glick, Vice President of Merchandising, who have given him guidance. “They are titans in the furniture industry and are great influences. When I first joined Bob’s they each spent time with me teaching me the ropes not only technically on the furniture, but also on the way we do business here at Bob’s.”
Creating strong mentor relationships is the best advice he has for those just starting in their careers. “I think there’s real value with attaching yourself to someone in the organization who’s already successful and being a sponge to observe and absorb those key traits,” he said.
Now with 12-plus years’ experience in the furniture industry, Dennis has successfully navigated wavering changes in the business landscape. As a young professional, he leverages fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to help Bob’s maintain its position as an industry leader. To meet customers where they are engaging, Dennis adapts product assortments and even looks to non-furniture industry shifts in consumer preference and design aesthetics to translate those key learnings into Bob’s buying process.
Alongside Dennis’ outstanding problem-solving skills, he excels at driving value for Bob’s amongst their competitors. Optimizing and expediting new item development, working with vendors to intelligently engineer product and packaging, and driving meaningful product differentiation from Bob’s competitors, are all levers Dennis pulls that drive value and give customers yet another reason to choose Bob’s.
Within his role with Bob’s, Dennis is seen as a strong, solutions-oriented team player, utilizing a holistic approach to problem solving. With a strong ‘team mentality’, Dennis takes into consideration the thoughts and opinions of his peers when reaching a decision.
“There’s very much a team energy here and nothing gets done in a silo in this company,” said Dennis. “We have really strong team partnerships from top to bottom.”
For inspiration, Dennis looks to leaders like former New England Patriots Quarterback, Tom Brady. “You know, I think his mentality about making it not about yourself and more about the team and the culture, speaks perfectly to what we do at Bob’s.”
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