Benzinga | Apr 9, 2021 11:55AM EDT

BJ's Wholesale Club President, CEO Lee Delaney Dies At 49

Lee Delaney, president and CEO of BJ's Wholesale Club (NYSE:BJ), passed away Thursday at the age of 49. According to the company, Delaney's passing is due to presumed natural causes.

Delaney's Career: Delaney joined the Westborough, Massachusetts-based BJ's in 2016 as executive vice president and chief growth officer and was promoted to president in September 2019 and chief executive in February 2020.

Prior to joining BJ's, he was a partner in the Boston office of Bain & Company, the global consulting firm, and earlier in his career, he led consulting engagements for Electronic Data Systems and Deloitte Consulting.

Delaney received a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts with a double major in computer science and mathematics and an M.B.A. from Carnegie Mellon University.

Related Link: BJs Wholesale Is Creeping In On Costco's Territory: Here's How

BJ's Moves Forward: BJ's named Bob Eddy, executive vice president, chief administrative and financial officer, interim CEO. The company also named Christopher J. Baldwin, chairman of the board of directors, as executive chairman.

"We are shocked and profoundly saddened by the passing of Lee Delaney," said Baldwin. "Lee was a brilliant and humble leader who cared deeply for his colleagues, his family and his community. We extend our most heartfelt condolences and sympathy to his family, especially his wife and two children."

Shares were down 2.7% to $43.57 at publication time.

(Photo courtesy BJ's Wholesale Club.)