New chief financial officer

The Central Garden & Pet Company has announced the appointment of Jeffrey A. Blade as chief financial officer reporting to William E. Brown, Central's chairman and chief executive officer. “Jeff is an important strategic addition to Central's management team,” noted William E. Brown. “Jeff's strong financial and operational experience will be instrumental as we seek to drive further margin and capital efficiency improvements across the business, and as we pursue new growth strategies.” Prior to joining Central, Jeffrey A. Blade served as interim president of The Steak 'N Shake Company, a publicly-traded restaurant company. At Central Garden & Pet Company he will work closely with Stuart Booth, who is switching to a consultancy role for the company.