Clothing retailer rue21 has appointed a new CEO, the Cranberry, Pa.-based company’s third since 2018, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. Bill Brand is taking the reins from interim CEO John Fleming, who will return to his role as a board member. Brand most recently served as president of shopping channel HSN and as chief retail officer of cruise company Carnival Corp. Rue21 filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2017. It emerged from bankruptcy in September the same year. In February, CEO and board chairman Michael Appel returned to his consulting practice. Appel had served as interim CEO from October 2017 to June 2018. He was named chief executive effective Nov. 12, 2018. He had succeeded Laurie Van Brunt, who served as president and CEO for several months in 2018. In October 2019, after two years of refocusing itself, the fast-fashion apparel purveyor opened its first store since emerging from bankruptcy at the Mall at Robinson. Rue21 operates over 673 stores in 45 states.
