USA. Stellar Partners Founder & CEO Susan Stackhouse is to retire after leading the company for 30 years. Padraig Drennan, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) since 2017, will take over the role.
Stackhouse said: “I am proud of Stellar’s success over the years. Now the time is right for me to step down. We recruited Padraig for this role because of his years of retail management experience. The company has grown under the leadership of a seasoned executive team and is poised to do great things in the industry with Padraig at the helm.” She added: “I am confident that he will lead Stellar to new heights.”
Drennan has over 25 years of retail experience and over ten years in airport retail. Before he joined Stellar Partners, Drennan was COO of DFASS Group and also served as President of World Duty Free North America where he was responsible for News & Gifts, Duty Free and Speciality Retail.
Drennan has also held the position of Chief Financial Officer of World Duty Free UK. He has held management positions with Marks and Spencer, Gap and Disney Stores, after starting his career with Arthur Anderson. Drennan also serves on the Board of the International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores.
Susan Stackhouse started Stellar Partners, Inc. with one duty free store at Tampa International Airport over 30 years ago. Her many other roles in that period include: Vice President for the International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores; Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee; Board of Trustees of University of Tampa, and Chairwoman of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign.
She is a respected member of the Tampa Bay business community as well as the airport concession industry and was named the 2015 Business Woman of the Year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
“Susan is a visionary in travel retail and her leadership has positioned Stellar to do even more great things in the future. I personally thank Susan for her guidance during our time together at Stellar and wish her well in retirement,” said Drennan. “During this very exciting time, I am looking forward to continuing to expand Stellar’s impact. Our company is experiencing great growth, and we are eager to reach travellers in new airports with the industry’s best retail brands and experiences.”
Drennan, who hails from Ireland, will continue to be based in Tampa, where Stellar is headquartered. As reported, Stellar was acquired by HMSHost in 2016, and strengthened its retail footprint in North America last year with the acquisition of Avila Retail.
