Joey Pointer CPA, CGMA

Growing up on a tobacco farm in rural North Carolina, Joey watched the way his father ran the farm, managed his business, and treated his employees. Those early examples of leadership, management, and partnership laid the groundwork for Joey’s approach to life and work, particularly when he became Fleet Feet’s CEO and president in 2017.

A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill (and life-long, passionate fan of the men’s basketball team - GO HEELS!), Joey majored in business and earned his master’s in accounting. After college he began working as an accountant at Ernst & Young. Upon learning through his wife (who worked part-time at the Fleet Feet in Carrboro) that Fleet Feet’s national headquarters also resided in Carrboro, Joey saw an opportunity to combine his personal passion with professional experience, and he inquired about a position. Shortly thereafter, Joey joined the Store Support Team made up of five employees, becoming the first classically trained financial member of the staff. Starting first as a financial manager in 2004, Joey was then in the position of director of operations from 2006 to 2012, and then CFO from 2012 until his 2017 promotion to CEO.

While he self-defines as a “creature of habit” and enjoys the same thing for breakfast and lunch almost every day (you can ask him what those meals are), Joey has been anything but habitual since his appointment to CEO and president. Under his leadership, Fleet Feet has undergone significant changes rooted in people, culture, business development, the customer experience, national marketing, and innovation. Guided by these strategic priorities, the brand has introduced fit id 3D foot scanning technology to all of its locations, driven customer engagement through its e-commerce site and digital media channels, added key roles to its senior leadership team, and undergone a complete brand refresh and logo update, all of which have helped the brand post consecutive months of comp store growth.

When Joey is not celebrating the accomplishments of staff members at the company’s monthly Core Value Awards, he’s on a walking meeting with a team member or vendor partner, out for a run in preparation for his next marathon, on the phone or in a store with a franchisee, supporting his children at Fleet Feet’s Mini Milers running program, or sharing inspiration and news on his Instagram account @runjoeypointer.