New Michaels CEO is also a Baylor Bear

For many with a crafty or creative bent, a trip to Michaels for supplies is a regular item on their to-do list. The stores are well-known for arts and crafts, do-it-yourself gifts and décor — but what you might not know is that they’re led by a Baylor graduate.

Ashley Buchanan (BBA ’96, MBA ’98) was tabbed as Michaels president and CEO last year after a long tenure at Walmart. The company, based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, turned to the two-time Baylor graduate shortly before COVID-19 hit. Buchanan has led the store throughout that uncertainty and overseen the company’s transition from public to private.

For Buchanan, it’s a career step that keeps him close to home. After graduating from Baylor, the Mt. Pleasant, Texas, native has worked for Dell in addition to his time at Walmart, where he led in a variety of responsibilities in the company ranging from eCommerce to Sam’s Club.

As he leads at Michaels, he says he’s working to turn the 1,200-store chain into an “arts and crafts ecosystem,” and in so doing, he has some help at home. Buchanan says his three daughters are an at-home focus group, weighing in on everything from glitter color to paint selection and more.

Sic ’em, Ashley Buchanan!