DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., March 26, 2020 – FTD, LLC, a leader in the floral industry for more than a century, today announced the appointment of Charlie Cole as its Chief Executive Officer
“We are excited to have Charlie join FTD at this critical time,” said Jeff Clarke, FTD’s Executive Chairman. “As FTD focuses on managing through the current global crisis and looks to the future, Charlie’s marketing and operational experience will enhance the investments FTD has made in improving the consumer experience and supporting our network of FTD florists.”
“We conducted an extensive search to find a CEO of Charlie’s capabilities,” said Damian Giangiacomo, Partner with Nexus Capital Management. “We are excited to partner with Charlie on this next phase for FTD, and believe the addition of his leadership and strengths compliments the existing FTD management team.”
Charlie brings extensive digital and retail leadership experience to FTD. Most recently, he served as the first Global Chief eCommerce Officer for Samsonite while simultaneously serving as Chief Digital Officer for Tumi, which was acquired by Samsonite. Prior to Samsonite, Charlie held executive positions and led digital transformations at several companies, including Assembled Brands, a holding company providing talent and business development to emerging designers and companies focused on building lasting brands (where he served as CEO of The Line), Schiff Nutrition, a leading nutritional supplement company acquired by Reckitt Benckiser, and Lucky Brand Jeans. Charlie also provides advisory services to a number of companies operating in the e-commerce arena.
“It’s a privilege to be named the new CEO of FTD – a company with a 110-year tradition of serving florists and flower lovers alike,” said Charlie. “I’m humbled by the opportunity and look forward to helping secure the future for the Company for another 110 years.”
Charlie holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Washington. He has been a guest professor for their Master of Business Administration program for the last two years.
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Contact:
Emily Bucholz, FTD
pr@ftdi.com
Travis Rigby is a publisher and entrepreneur focused on growing the floral industry through media, data, and product innovation. With a journalism background from the University of Utah, he founded and led PosterGarden.com for 27 years before transitioning into floral publishing. Today, Travis is the publisher of Florists’ Review, one of the industry’s most historic and influential titles, which he relaunched in 2026 with a focus on rebuilding its audience and transforming it into a modern data-driven platform for advertisers and readers alike. At Florists' Review Media, he oversees a portfolio of floral brands including Florists’ Review, SuperFloral, Canadian Florist, Flora (UK), Australian Florist, and LivingFlowers.com.
