Duckwall-ALCO ceo resigns, board under pressure  

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 2/22/2008 11:03:00 AM

Abilene, Kan. – Rural general merchandiser Duckwall-ALCO Stores today announced the immediate resignation of president and ceo Bruce Dale, who had joined the company in 2005 to help steer a three-year turnaround.

While a search committee is active, svp and cfo Donny Johnson assumes the role of interim ceo. Johnson came to the 250-store retailer in August 2007.

The resignation came three days after Cayman Islands-based investor Raymond French and Strongbow Capital, which together hold 14.3% of Duckwall-ALCO voting stock, in an SEC filing said they intended to put up nominees at the upcoming annual meeting “to replace certain members of the board” – including chairman, Warren Gfeller – and wanted director Royce Winsten named chairman.

Winsten was elected to the board last October; a financial analyst and broker, he is the founder and managing director of Shore Capital Management of Sea Girt, N.J.