Carl started his career working in management positions in the restaurant industry before joining Starbucks in 1994. He quickly rose through the ranks and eventually became CEO/Managing Director of Starbucks Switzerland and Austria, where he led a complete business turnaround in the span of 24 months. Carl also served as Senior Vice President of National Operations and Customer Experience with Advance Auto Parts where he held multiple leadership positions including human resources. Most recently, Carl served as the Vice President of stores and interim Co-CEO for Barnes & Noble, Inc., the world’s largest bookseller and a leading retailer of content, digital media, and educational products. Carl has been recognized throughout his career for his ability to build and motivate teams while spearheading training and development programs in order to get the most out of employees at all levels.