RugsUSA Appoints Alyssa Steele as CEO

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, RugsUSA, a leading e-commerce retailer and supplier of area rugs and home décor products, announced the appointment of Alyssa Steele as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Alyssa brings 15 years of retail and e-commerce experience that will help RugsUSA continue to accelerate growth and expand customer reach. RugsUSA’s interim CEO Dinesh Lathi will continue with the Company and return to his prior role as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

“We are thrilled to have an executive of Alyssa’s caliber join the RugsUSA team,” said Dinesh Lathi, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Alyssa’s impressive track record at best-in-class companies combined with her passion for delivering for customers makes her the perfect candidate to drive growth and lead RugsUSA. I look forward to working with her as I transition back to my role as Chairman of the Board.”

“Alyssa’s retail and e-commerce background coupled with her proven ability to drive successful go-to-market strategies will help RugsUSA continue to delight customers and grow profitably,” said Christine Wang and Alan Ni, Partners at Francisco Partners and lead investors in RugsUSA. “We thank Dinesh for his interim leadership of the Company and look forward to his continued contributions as he returns to his role as Chairman of the Board.”

Alyssa has spent the last 15 years of her career at the intersection of technology and commerce, delivering profitable growth through innovation and execution at category leading companies such as HD Supply, eBay and The Home Depot. She joins RugsUSA from HD Supply, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Home Depot and a leading national distributor of maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products, where she was most recently the Chief Commercial Officer, overseeing all aspects of the end-to-end customer experience. Prior to HD Supply, she led the $15 billion Gross Merchandise Value hard-lines division of eBay’s flagship North American marketplace. Alyssa began her career in retail at The Home Depot where she spent eight years in a series of finance and merchandising leadership roles. She holds an MBA in International Business from the Robinson School of Business at Georgia State University and a Master's Degree in International Management from IAE France, Ecoles Universitaires de Management in Paris. She received her BA in French from Presbyterian College.

“I’m excited to join RugsUSA and to continue redefining the rug and home décor shopping experience,” said Alyssa Steele. “I see substantial opportunity in the area rug market, and RugsUSA’s large-scale customer focus positions the company to take full advantage of it. I’m looking forward to applying my passion for product innovation and customer experience to drive additional profitable growth in the Company’s next chapter.”

About RugsUSA
RugsUSA is a leading e-commerce retailer and supplier of area rugs and other home décor products. Founded in 1998, RugsUSA offers an expansive collection of area rugs and home décor products directly to consumers via www.rugsusa.com as well as through leading e-commerce marketplace partners. With a curated offering of more than 20,000 products, the Company provides consumers with unmatched choice, fast shipping and exceptional value. RugsUSA has sold more than twelve million rugs to millions of homes and delighted customers.

About Francisco Partners
Francisco Partners is a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology and technology-enabled businesses. Since its launch over 20 years ago, Francisco Partners has invested in more than 400 technology companies, making it one of the most active and longstanding investors in the technology industry. With approximately $45 billion of capital raised to date, the firm invests in opportunities where its deep sectoral knowledge and operational expertise can help companies realize their full potential. For more information on Francisco Partners, please visit www.franciscopartners.com.