4 October 2004 – Delray Beach (FL): The search is on for a new leader at Office Depot following today’s surprise news that chairman/CEO Bruce Nelson has left the company.
An official statement released this morning said he "has resigned from the company by mutual agreement with the board of directors". While it searches for a permanent replacement, veteran board member Neil Austrian, 64, will serve as interim chairman/CEO.
Depot’s lead director, James Heskett, said: "We appreciate Bruce Nelson’s many contributions to our company over the past four years and wish him well in his future endeavours. We are both fortunate and gratified to have a person of Neil Austrian’s calibre on our board, who can immediately step into the roles of chairman and CEO of the company while we search for a permanent replacement for this position."
The departing Nelson added: "I am proud of what I have accomplished over the past four years at Office Depot and believe that we have established a stronger platform from which the company can pursue growth. I firmly believe that the company’s best years are ahead."
