Petland Hires Former Walmart Exec Tony Samples

Tony Samples has joined Petland Inc. as VP of corporate stores, for which he will lead the central Ohio-based company's retail store division and oversee its merchandising and marketing efforts.  

"Tony brings extensive retail experience to Petland at a time when Petland is expanding its retail footprint," said Petland President/CEO Joe Watson.  

Samples, a native of Cedartown, Ga., has more than 30 years of retail experience. As VP of retail operations at Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Watson said he had a proven record of producing bottom-line results, operational process improvement, and rapidly growing market share.

A past recipient of the Sam Walton Hero Award and the NAACP regional director's award, Samples serves on the executive advisory council for Berry College's Campbell School of Business (Mount Berry, Ga.). He is a member of the Northwest Georgia Regional Angel Investor Network, and a board member of the Georgia Association of Business Brokers.

"I am thankful to be joining Petland at this exciting time," said Samples, adding that he anticipates "helping guide the company through this expansion as we introduce the Petland brand into new markets."

Petland is a franchise pet center operation with locaitons across the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil and El Salvador.