PHILADELPHIA, PA — Five Below (NASDAQ: FIVE) has appointed former GNC executive Rodney Lastinger as chief retail officer and former Allbirds executive Christos Yatrakis as chief legal officer, strengthening its leadership team as the discount retailer manages nearly 2,000 stores nationwide and pursues continued growth.
The appointments place two veteran consumer-industry executives in roles overseeing store operations and corporate governance, areas that become increasingly critical as retailers scale their physical footprint and navigate public-company compliance requirements.
Lastinger will join Five Below on June 22 and assume responsibility for operational performance across the company’s store network. Yatrakis joined the retailer on June 15 and will lead the company’s legal organization. Both executives report to Chief Operating Officer Kenneth Bull.
The company disclosed the appointments as it continues expanding its national presence in the value retail sector, where operational execution, supply chain performance, and store productivity remain key drivers of profitability.
Lastinger most recently served as chief operating officer at GNC, where he oversaw operations for more than 2,200 franchise and company-owned stores. Earlier leadership roles included president of retail at Conn’s HomePlus and an 18-year tenure at Target Corp., where he advanced to senior vice president of stores.
In remarks released by the company, Lastinger pointed to Five Below’s customer-focused merchandising strategy and store experience as factors behind his decision to join the retailer.
Yatrakis brings more than two decades of legal and operational leadership experience across publicly traded consumer companies. Most recently, he served as chief people and legal officer at Allbirds, overseeing legal affairs, corporate governance, SEC compliance, and human resources functions across operations spanning more than 20 countries.
His previous experience also includes leadership positions at Gymshark USA, where he served in legal and North American operating roles, and Arrow Electronics.
Chief Executive Officer Winnie Park cited Lastinger’s experience leading large-scale retail operations and Yatrakis’ background in governance and public-company compliance as key additions to the company’s leadership bench.
The appointments follow Five Below’s broader effort to strengthen execution across its expanding store base while supporting long-term growth initiatives in a competitive value-retail environment.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.