Advance Auto Parts announced that Ken Bush, senior vice president, chief merchant, will retire from the company after nearly 20 years and be succeeded by Bruce Starnes, who has been named executive vice president, chief merchant, effective June 24, 2024.

The 48-year-old Starnes will lead all aspects of merchandising strategy. He joins Advance from the Target Corporation where he spent nearly 20 years in a variety of product management roles. According to the company, he most recently served as senior vice president, merchandising capabilities and operations. Previously, he served as president of Target India and vice president, digital solutions and partnerships.

“We are very grateful for the many contributions Ken has made to our industry over the past 37 years. He has helped strengthen our merchandising operations and built a talented team within the merchandising organization, making it an optimum time to make a leadership transition. We wish him all the best in his upcoming, well-deserved retirement,” said Shane O’Kelly, Advance’s president and CEO. “I’m excited to welcome Bruce to the Advance family. As a seasoned and accomplished merchandising executive with more than 25 years of experience, Bruce brings a deep understanding of successful merchandising operations and vendor partnerships as well as a proven track record of results at one of the world’s leading retail organizations. I look forward to working closely with him to take our merchandising operations to the next level.”