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Since becoming President and Chief Executive Officer of Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) in 2013, Sharon Price John has led the company through a financial turnaround, while refreshing the nearly 25-year-old global brand. During her tenure, Sharon has navigated the organization though an evolutionary period for retail by diversifying the company’s business model with the goal of monetizing the power of the beloved brand by progressing the real estate strategy; accelerating a corporate digital transformation including the launch of a new e-commerce platform; and extending the company’s intellectual properties through a variety of entertainment ventures and outbound licensing partnerships.

With three decades of experience including strategic marketing, product development, innovation and change management, Sharon has worked with a number of iconic brands, with tenure at companies that include Hasbro, Mattel, and Wolverine World Wide, where she established a strong track record of success. Before joining Build-A-Bear Workshop, Sharon was President of the Stride Rite Children's Group LLC (a division of Wolverine World Wide), where she led the operations of the historic footwear business including retail, product development, wholesale sales, marketing, planning and distribution.

Her career began in the advertising industry working at top agencies in New York, including DDB Needham Worldwide on the Hershey account and Bates USA as Account Supervisor for the SNICKERS/M&M Mars business. Sharon holds a BS from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and an MBA from Columbia University in New York.

Sharon serves on the Board of Directors for Jack in the Box, Inc (NASDAQ: JACK) and is active with several national and regional boards and organizations including serving as a member of the Executive Committee for the Toy Industry Association Board. She has received a distinguished alumna award from Columbia Business School’s Columbia Women in Business organization and was recognized as one of the University of Tennessee’s 100 Distinguished Alumni of the last 100 years. She lives in St. Louis with her husband and three children.