PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM), the nation's largest pet specialty retailer, is combining its Store Operations and Services organizations under the leadership of a single senior vice president as part of a transition that includes the planned June 2007 retirement of Barbara Fitzgerald, senior vice president of store operations.

David Lenhardt, senior vice president of services, has been appointed senior vice president of store operations and services, effective Feb. 1, 2007.

"Barbara and David pioneered the company's business and service model after joining the company in 2000," said Phil Francis, PetSmart's chairman and CEO. "As a result of their leadership and strong partnership, we are the only retailer that has successfully combined strong retail and services businesses under the same roof and the same management team. So, we expect the transition to be smooth, and by combining the two functions under a single senior leader, we expect to capitalize even more on the benefits of this unique, differentiated model."

Fitzgerald has led important strategic initiatives for PetSmart, including its highly successful Eagle store format to create a superior shopping environment, and the associated movement to create a strong, customer-focused organization.

As the architect of the company's wide ranging services offering, Lenhardt led the team that developed PetSmart PetsHotels(R) and Doggie Day Camp concepts, and expanded and greatly enhanced PetSmart's grooming and training offerings. Since October, he has been serving in the field first as a store manager, and currently as a district manager, as part of the succession plan and in preparation for the new, expanded executive assignment.

Both Lenhardt and Fitzgerald will continue to serve in their current capacities through the end of January 2007 and will work together on the transition. Lenhardt will then assume the helm of the combined team while Fitzgerald will continue to lead special projects in customer service and store performance until her June retirement.

Fitzgerald joined PetSmart as senior vice president of retail operations from Harmon Auto Glass, the nation's largest installer of auto glass replacement and repair. She was president of the 400-store operation and helped reach the company's goal to establish a retail-oriented and customer-focused strategy. Before joining Harmon Auto Glass, Fitzgerald was at Toys "R" Us where she spent three years, first as vice president/general manager and later as the vice president of people development, where she championed a company-wide cultural transformation to become customer-focused and people-centered. Before Toys "R" Us, Fitzgerald spent 24 years with Sears, Roebuck and Co. She started in several store-level positions and later held various senior management positions, including vice president and general manager of Sears Hardware Stores. She is a pet parent to two adopted Basset Hounds named Gracie and Boone.

Lenhardt joined PetSmart as senior vice president of services, strategic planning and business development. From 1996 to 2000, he was with Bain & Company, Inc., where he led consulting teams for retail, technology and e-commerce clients. Before that, Lenhardt was an analyst in the corporate finance and Latin American groups of Merrill Lynch & Co.'s investment banking division. He is a pet parent to a Wheaton Terrier named Zoe.

PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. The company operates more than 850 pet stores in the United States and Canada, a growing number of in-store PetsHotel cat and dog boarding facilities, and is a leading online provider of pet supplies and pet care information (www.petsmart.com). PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products; offers complete pet training, pet grooming, pet boarding, doggie day camp and pet adoption services; and provides a full line of horse supplies, including equestrian apparel and tack, through State Line Tack. Since 1994, PetSmart Charities, Inc., an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization, has donated more than $42 million to animal welfare programs and, through its in-store pet adoption programs, has saved the lives of more than 2.6 million pets.