Gregg Coccari Fixed < Hot — 2027 >
In the high-stakes world of specialty retail and brand management, success often hinges on the ability to adapt, endure, and lead with a steady hand. Few executives embody these principles as clearly as Gregg Coccari , a former collegiate hockey player who has spent nearly two decades steering one of the world’s most iconic outdoor equipment retailers.
In December 2012, TJX acquired Sierra Trading Post for an undisclosed sum, widely reported to be in the hundreds of millions. Coccari remained at the helm, and under his leadership, Sierra (rebranded as in 2018) expanded from a single warehouse in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to a multi-channel powerhouse with dozens of brick-and-mortar stores across the U.S. gregg coccari
Starting as a General Manager, he climbed the ranks to become Executive Vice President of Merchandising and Logistics. During his tenure (1997–2008), he was instrumental in optimizing the company’s supply chain and merchandising strategy, helping transform Fleet Farm from a regional farm-supply chain into a more competitive, modern retail force. This period honed his expertise in hard goods, workwear, and outdoor gear—a foundation that would define his future. Coccari’s defining career moment arrived in 2008 when he was brought in as President and CEO of Sierra Trading Post , then a niche, catalog-based off-price retailer of outdoor gear. At the time, the company was solid but struggled to scale in the shadow of giants like REI and Amazon. In the high-stakes world of specialty retail and
Coccari graduated from UVM with a degree in Business Administration, immediately bridging his athletic discipline with a career in sales and management. Before his rise to national prominence in the e-commerce space, Coccari spent over a decade at Mills Fleet Farm , a Midwestern chain of big-box retail stores catering to farming, automotive, and outdoor enthusiasts. Coccari remained at the helm, and under his
As the former Chairman, President, and CEO of (formerly Sierra Trading Post) and a long-time executive at Mills Fleet Farm , Coccari has built a reputation as a turnaround specialist and a leader who understands the gritty realities of both the playing field and the sales floor. Early Life and Athletic Discipline Gregg Coccari’s professional identity was forged long before he entered a corporate office. A native of New England, Coccari played NCAA Division I hockey for the University of Vermont (UVM) from 1980 to 1984. As a goaltender for the Catamounts, he learned the value of resilience, quick decision-making under pressure, and the importance of being the last line of defense—skills that would later translate directly into corporate crisis management.
He stepped down as CEO in 2020 but remained Chairman of Sierra through the transition, overseeing the brand’s continued integration into the TJX family. In interviews, Coccari frequently cites his hockey background as the blueprint for his management style. “As a goalie, you can’t dwell on the last goal,” he told Wyoming Business Report . “You reset, you watch the play develop, and you react. In retail, the market scores on you every day—a bad quarter, a supply chain glitch. You clear your head and focus on the next shot.”
