Quick Facts
- Chris Hurt becomes CEO effective June 11, 2026, after 10 years with the company as chief operations and experience officer
- CFO Voin Todorovic adds chief administrative officer duties with base salary of at least $500,000
- Former CEO Sharon Price John joins Carter’s as president and CEO after 13 years leading Build-A-Bear
Build-A-Bear Workshop completed a major leadership transition with Chris Hurt officially taking over as Chief Executive Officer on June 11, 2026. The appointment concludes a succession planning process following the planned retirement of Sharon Price John, who led the company for 13 years.
Hurt, who spent over a decade at the toy retailer as chief operations and experience officer, joins the board of directors in his new role. During his tenure, he strengthened global operations and enhanced customer experience across the business.
“I am honored to step into the Chief Executive Officer role and build upon the company’s current position of strength,” Hurt said in a statement. “With a clear strategy focused on profitable growth, our powerful brand, and a talented global team, we are dedicated to continuing to advance the experiences, partnerships and opportunities for innovation.”
The leadership changes extend beyond the CEO role. CFO Voin Todorovic, who joined Build-A-Bear in 2014, added chief administrative officer responsibilities. Under his amended agreement, Todorovic will receive an annual base salary of at least $500,000 and a target bonus of 70% of his earned base pay.
Dave Henderson moved from chief revenue officer to chief growth officer. Henderson, who held the revenue role for less than two years, will oversee all global revenue streams. He previously served as chief commercial officer at Melissa & Doug and spent two decades at Hasbro.
The transition comes as Build-A-Bear faces mixed financial results. First-quarter revenue decreased 2.4% year-over-year to $125.3 million, though net income increased 19% to $18.3 million. The company lowered its 2026 fiscal outlook following the weaker-than-expected quarterly performance.
Despite recent challenges, Build-A-Bear generated $529.8 million in total revenue for fiscal 2025, marking its fifth consecutive year of record results. The company operates more than 650 locations across 30 countries.
Sharon Price John, who departs Build-A-Bear after record sales growth and expanded e-commerce efforts, joins Carter’s as president and CEO on June 15, 2026. She will remain on Build-A-Bear’s board of directors.
The leadership restructuring aligns the company around strategic priorities including disciplined financial management, operational efficiency and global expansion as it continues its experiential retail focus.
Read more: Build-A-Bear reconfigures top leadership
