Long-time food retail exec named CFO at Chico's

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Chico's has named Pamela Knous EVP, CFO and chief accounting officer. Knous assumes the principal finance, accounting, investor relations, and strategic planning responsibilities currently under the direction of Kent Kleeberger, who was appointed to the position of EVP, COO in March. Knous is expected to join the company on June 23 and will report directly to Chico's president and CEO, David Dyer.

Commenting on the appointment, Dyer said, "Pam Knous brings 20 years of retail finance experience to Chico's FAS and will play a key role in our efforts to become a leading earnings growth company among specialty retailers."

Knous served as EVP, CFO of Supervalu from September 1997 to July 2010, where she was responsible for finance, accounting, information technology, strategic planning, investor relations, and its Bristol Farms operation.  Before joining Supervalu she was EVP, CFO and treasurer of The Vons Companies, Inc., now part of Safeway Inc., and prior to that Knous was a partner in the Los Angeles office of KPMG Peat Marwick, the international audit, tax and advisory firm.