Ted English
A co-op job at the department store and Boston institution Filenes gave Ted English the experience he credits with jumpstarting his career. “I got to work in the field that became my career,” says English, who in 2006 joined Bob’s Discount Furniture, Inc., as CEO. Bob’s is a growing chain of furniture stores located throughout the northeast. Before joining the Bob’s organization, English was president and CEO of TJX companies, Inc., a $14.9 billion apparel and home fashions company, where he worked for 22 years. During his five-plus years as TJX CEO, English raised revenues more than $6 billion and opened more than 900 stores worldwide.
Impressive numbers aside, English is most proud of the role he’s had in hiring, training, and developing people who have gone on to successful careers at his company and beyond. “I’ve been very fortunate to have had good bosses and good teachers in school—good leaders to emulate,” says English. It’s a mentoring model he’s tried to carry on and one that corresponds with a people-oriented style of doing business. “My business philosophy revolves around people,” explains English. “I think it’s important to be consistent and fair on a daily basis.”
His goal in his new role at Bob’s Discount Furniture, he says, is to turn a young, exciting company into a larger successful company. His empathetic leadership style will doubtless help him as he pursues that goal. As he reminds us, “Any company is only as good as its people.”
