Print edition: 
Wichita western wear retailer Sheplers has named Bob Myers its CEO, the company said Monday.
He replaces Dennis O'Brien, operating partner of private equity fund Gryphon Investors, which owns Sheplers.
O'Brien ran Sheplers for four months after the company's board removed previous CEO Mike Syrstad.
Myers will be in Wichita working at Sheplers by the end of the week, O'Brien said.
Myers has spent 25 years in retailing. He was with QVC for eight years, most recently as senior vice president of QVC.com, building its e-commerce business to more than $1 billion in sales. Before that, he was in store operations, merchandising, advertising and strategic planning for JC Penney.
He has bachelor's degree in business from Buffalo State University.
"He's got a good track record as a manager of brick and mortar stores, with broad range of experience, and we think he has a blackbelt on the area of e-commerce," O'Brien said. "That, and he has a successful track record in building a team."
O'Brien said the board dismissed Syrstad because the company had drifted too far from its western-wear niche.
"There's a balance between that core western market and any changes that need to be struck, and I think Bob understands the balance," O'Brien said.
Founded in 1899, Sheplers is one of the world's best known retailers of western wear.
Gryphon, based in San Francisco, bought the company in 2007 from Jabara Ventures and a host of employee shareholders.
The company had 18 retail stores when it took over but has closed three since.
But O'Brien said he sees growth for the chain ahead, both from the stores and from the Web. He sees greater penetration in the U.S. and more sales abroad.
"I think the market is very solid," he said. "We see some pretty significant upside in the years to come."
