Jon Sica Named to Retail TouchPoints and design:retail 40 Under 40 Class of 2021

HARTLAND, Wis., May 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After receiving the largest nomination pool in the competition's seven-year history, Retail TouchPoints and design:retail has named Jon Sica, Chief Strategy and Development Officer at Batteries Plus, one of the top 40 professionals in the retail industry under the age of 40.

The select group of young executives are paving the way for the next era of retail and was compromised of founders, CEOs, creative directors, design managers, marketing executives, ecommerce gurus, VPs and many more changemakers. Sica was one of 40 individuals that met the following criteria:

• Shining stars in their company and in the industry;
• Have completed innovative and remarkable work; and
• Contribute greatly to education or associations supporting the retail community.

From his modest start writing Cabela's catalogs to driving expansion for the nation's largest and fastest-growing omni-channel retail franchise, Sica has blazed a trail by mixing the art and science of business to find success across big box, QSR and franchise companies. He focuses on not just defining successful strategies – he connects them to people and execution in a way that delivers consistent, predictable results for shareholders while building a "big tent" that allows many to share and participate in the wins. Sica's biggest contribution in retail has been in communicating strategy as his background in marketing allows him to visualize and articulate business strategy in a way that's understandable from the board of directors to hourly employees. A self-professed process geek that enjoys relentlessly and methodically solving tough problems – like post-acquisition integration and building a sales program from scratch – in innovative ways that prioritizes people in addition to business results, Sica has helped Batteries Plus find success in challenging market place.

"I am truly humbled to accept this award from Retail Touchpoints and design:retail and be a part of such a prestigious group of leaders who contribute to the global retail community in positive ways," said Sica. "It is an honor to be ranked amongst some of the greatest professionals in the retail industry and I am proud to represent Batteries Plus among such an outstanding list of companies and young leaders. This honor is not just a reflection on me, but the entire best-in-class team we have at Batteries Plus."

Some of Sica's biggest contributions in 2020 were quickly helping the organization and 260+ franchise owners stay connected during the pandemic, from regional calls with owners to walk through cleaning practices to first-of-their-kind video features and podcasts – he took internal communications to the next level to drive success. Other notable achievements include: 

• Instituted daily "war room" meetings during the pandemic to respond that help keep all stores operating as "essential" business during the pandemic, while the brand implemented contactless curbside in under 48 hours nationwide, and helped franchisees respond to sales trends to have several record-breaking months in 2020.
• Executed the largest store acquisition in company history – not once, but twice – in the midst of a pandemic, while implementing new integrations processes that helped employees keep their jobs while posting sales increases in the time after acquisition.
• Hired and transformed a new part of his organization during the pandemic – onboarding, aligning and defining new processes 100% virtually, while beating the annual plan goal in only half a year with 30 franchise signings.

"We are proud to continue the legacy of the 40 Under 40 Awards program, recognizing the achievements and outstanding work of the retail industry's next generation of leaders," said Jessie Dowd, Senior Editor of Retail TouchPoints. "Elevating those individuals who have used their brilliant minds and dedicated drive to propel retail forward is essential to fostering continued innovation across the industry at large."

To see the full list of 40 Under 40, please visit: https://retailtouchpoints.com/topics/retail-innovation/retail-touchpoints-and-designretail-reveal-the-40-under-40-class-of-2021. To learn more about Batteries Plus, including information on the franchise opportunity or tour a store virtually, visit batteriesplusfranchise.com.

ABOUT BATTERIES PLUS:
Batteries Plus, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Hartland, WI, is a leading omnichannel retailer of batteries, specialty light bulbs and phone repair services for the direct-to-consumer and commercial channels. The retailer also offers key programming, replacement and cutting services. Through a nationwide network of stores, the company offers a differentiated value proposition of unrivaled product selection, in-stock availability and customer service. Batteries Plus is owned by Freeman Spogli, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles and New York City. To learn more about one of Forbes®' Best Franchises to Buy in America, visit https://www.batteriesplusfranchise.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Julianne Stevenson, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected] or 224-558-2510

SOURCE Batteries Plus