Thirteen media, retail, food and consumer goods chief executives lost their jobs in April, up from the twelve CEOs who announced their departures in March, according to the Chicago-based outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Six media, two retail, two food and three consumer goods CEOs said they planned to leave their posts last month.
"CEO turnover can often set off a series of management changes throughout an organization, particularly if the new CEO is an outsider," said John Challenger, chief executive of Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "Change is typically inevitable as a new leader brings in other trusted C-level executives who mesh well with his or her leadership style. Those executives bring in their own people, who, in turn, bring in their own people."
The most talked about CEO departure was Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn, 50, who resigned amid an internal probe into claims of an "inappropriate relationship" he had with a female subordinate. Dunn is the fourth CEO this year among all industries to leave under a cloud of scandal, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Best Buy is searching for his replacement.
The other retail CEO to leave his post was Michael Glazer, 64, of the Addison, Texas-based Mattress Giant, who left to become CEO of the department store chain Stage Stores after Mattress Giant was acquired by competitor Mattress Firm.
The two food CEO departure announcements last month were due to an executive replacement and the ending of an interim period. James Parrish of the Friendly's restaurant chain returned to his position as chief operating officer after the company named restaurant executive John Maguire, 46, as its new CEO.
Jessica Gutierrez of Hall Of Fame Beverages was replaced by former PepsiCo executive Greg Thrasher. Thrasher relocated the company's operations from Las Vegas, Nev., to Dallas, Texas, and put into place a new leadership team there. Hall Of Fame Beverages would not return requests for details.
Among the six media CEOs who announced their departures in April, Jeff Haley, 50, of the Radio Advertising Bureau left to join the media software solutions company Marketron as its new top executive. Erica Farber, former publisher and CEO of the now-defunct trade publication Radio & Records, replaced Haley as the CEO of RAB.
Among the three consumer goods CEOs who announced their departures in April, Joe Redling, 53, of the Fort Washington, Pa.-based weight loss products manufacturer Nutrisystem, said that he will retire from his CEO position in September.
CEO turnover across the 26 industries Challenger tracks slowed in April, with 90 departures announced during the month, down from 94 in March.
Write to Damian Ghigliotty at Damian.Ghigliotty@dowjones.com
