Dave Finnegan
World Explorer and Customer Experience Officer
After helping to deliver their then best year to date, Dave decided to leave Orvis, take a corporate hiatus, and travel the world for 2022. Dave joined The Orvis Company in 2014 where he is was the Customer Experience Officer bringing together Marketing, Creative, and Technology with one mission: to deliver great customer experiences. In 2019 Orvis was honored with the Omni Experience Innovation Award from Retail Connections magazine and in 2017 Orvis received the Innovation Award for Omnichannel retailing.
Prior to Orvis, he held a senior leadership role with Build-A-Bear Workshop, serving as Chief Information and Interactive Officer for the company. He was instrumental in the development of the award-winning, Build-A-Bear Workshop Store of the Future: an innovative blend of digital technology and store experience. Dave currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Retail Federation-Chief Marketing Officer Council. The CMO Council is an invitation-only group of many of the most influential CMOs in the retail industry. Dave also serves on the Retail Analytics board at Northwestern, and has formerly served as the CIO sponsor of the Knowledge @ Wharton program; a program that brings together thought leaders and academics throughout the retail industry.
In 2013, Dave was named to the “Top 100 CIO” list by CIO Magazine and was nominated as “Innovative CIO of the Year” by Retail Information Systems magazine. He was also nominated as “CIO of the Year” by Oracle Retail in 2012 and 2011. In 2011, Dave was named an honorary Arch Angel by WiredKids.org for his meaningful service on their board, including testifying before Congress on internet safety for children.
Dave’s work has been featured in numerous publications including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, Retail Information Systems News, Integrated Retailer, and Retail Connections. Dave has been a contributing author of two books: the Thomson Reuters book “Inside the Minds” focused on Dave’s involvement in the development and successful launch of the newly imagined Build-A-Bear Workshop store and “The Strategic CIO: Changing the Dynamics of the Business Enterprise” (Taylor and Francis) which focused on the role that CIO’s play in innovating in today’s ever-changing business environment.