BRUCE THORN - PRESIDENT, CEO, BIG LOTS
Children of Fallen Patriots Board of Advisors, Advisor
Bruce Thorn has served as President, CEO, and a member of the board of directors of Big Lots, Inc. since October 2018.
Previously, Bruce was President and COO of Tailored Brands, the parent company of Men’s Wearhouse, Joseph A. Bank and Joseph Abboud brands.
Prior to that, Bruce held executive roles at PetSmart, Inc., LESCO, Inc., Gap, Inc. and Cintas Corporation.
Before joining the business sector, Bruce earned the rank of captain and served in the U.S. Army’s 3-325 Airborne Battalion Combat Team based in Vicenza, Italy. He is an airborne ranger qualified combat veteran and was honorably discharged in 1994.
Bruce believes every difference makes a difference, and in that effort, he created an endowment for the Excel Scholars program at West Point, focused on identifying and promoting high-performing cadets from under-represented groups to strive for and attain Rhodes and other high-profile postgraduate scholarships.
His spirit of service extends to his role as a director on the boards of Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The National Veterans Memorial and Museum. In addition, he is a member of the board of directors of Caleres, Inc. (NYSE: CAL) and was inducted into the Ohio Veteran’s Hall of Fame in 2023.
Thorn graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and earned an MBA from the University of Cincinnati. He lives in Arizona with his wife, Gabriella, and their rescue dog, Gemma.