10 Academy Sports + Outdoors operations leaders
Doug Alexander, Vice President - Store Operations at Academy Sports + Outdoors, leads this list of Academy Sports + Outdoors operations leaders, alongside people who hold or have held store, regional and distribution center operations roles. A reader can learn how operations leaders work at Academy Sports + Outdoors from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Burnie Sloan
LinkedInExperience: Former Vice President of Distribution · Academy Sports + Outdoors
Burnie Sloan is a former Vice President of Distribution at Academy Sports + Outdoors, a role held from 2013 to 2020 in Twiggs County, Georgia. At Academy Sports + Outdoors, Burnie Sloan was also Sr Director of Operations from 2007 to 2013 and General Manager from 2020 to 2021, and was Vice President Of Distribution at Perry Ellis International from 2021 to 2022.
Cedric Gray, MBA
LinkedInExperience: Former Senior Director, DC Operations Site · Academy Sports + Outdoors
Cedric Gray is a former Senior Director, DC Operations Site at Academy Sports + Outdoors, a role held from 2022 to 2026, and has been Executive Site Lead at Stellantis since June 2026. Cedric Gray was Supply Chain Director DC 6023 at Walmart from 2021 to 2022 and Director of Implementation & Continuous Skills Development at Walmart from 2019 to 2021.
Charles Magee
LinkedInExperience: Regional Vice President · Academy Sports + Outdoors
Charles Magee has been Regional Vice President at Academy Sports + Outdoors since May 2016, based in Orlando, Florida, and the profile lists new store openings, loss prevention and associate development among the skills. Charles Magee was a District Manager at JC Penney from 2008 to 2016.
Craig Newburn
LinkedInExperience: Regional Vice President of Operations · Academy Sports + Outdoors
Craig Newburn has been Regional Vice President of Operations at Academy Sports + Outdoors since February 2020, based in Prosper, Texas. Craig Newburn was a District Manager at Academy Sports + Outdoors from 2018 to 2020, and at Cabela's was Regional Vice President of Operations from 2016 to 2017 and Senior Director, Retail Operations from 2014 to 2016.
Doug Alexander
LinkedInExperience: Vice President - Store Operations · Academy Sports + Outdoors
Doug Alexander has been Vice President - Store Operations at Academy Sports + Outdoors since November 2023, based in Katy, Texas. Doug Alexander was Sr. Director - Store Operations, Workforce, Process, & Technology at Academy Sports + Outdoors from 2017 to 2023 and Vice President of Sales, Operations & Training at hhgregg from 2015 to 2017.
Jesse Hernandez
LinkedInExperience: Director of DC Operations · Academy Sports + Outdoors
Jesse Hernandez holds the title Director of DC Operations at Academy Sports + Outdoors in a profile entry that starts in 1992, and has also been General Manager DC Operations there since February 2026, based in Katy, Texas. The profile headline reads General Manager of Katy DC Operations at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Kyle Foulkrod
LinkedInExperience: Sr Director Logistics and Distribution · Academy Sports + Outdoors
Kyle Foulkrod has been Sr Director Logistics and Distribution at Academy Sports + Outdoors since June 2020, based in Katy, Texas. At Academy Sports + Outdoors, Kyle Foulkrod was Sr Director, Store Optimization from 2019 to 2020 and Sr Director, Strategic Retail Operations from 2014 to 2017, and was Sr. Director of Operations Support and Store Planning at Westlake Ace Hardware from 2011 to 2014.
Ray Birden
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Distribution Centers · Academy Sports + Outdoors
Ray Birden has been Vice President Distribution Centers at Academy Sports + Outdoors since June 2021, based in Katy, Texas. Ray Birden was Director Distribution Operations at Academy Sports + Outdoors from 2020 to 2021 and Senior Vice President of Supply Chain at francesca’s® from 2015 to 2020.
Russell Evans
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Director, Omnichannel Operations · Academy Sports + Outdoors
Russell Evans has been Sr. Director, Omnichannel Operations at Academy Sports + Outdoors since October 2025, based in Katy, Texas. At Academy Sports + Outdoors, Russell Evans was Sr. Director, Operations and Product Management from 2022 to 2024 and Director, Omnichannel Operations from 2020 to 2022, and was Head of Marketplace Operations at Nerdy from 2024 to 2025.
Slade Lewis
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Distribution · Academy Sports + Outdoors
Slade Lewis has been Vice President of Distribution at Academy Sports + Outdoors since November 2025, based in Katy, Texas. At Target, Slade Lewis was Senior Director, Distribution from 2023 to 2025, Director - Process Excellence from 2021 to 2023 and Operations Director from 2019 to 2021.
Choose the right perspective
Match the part of operations in a person's title, such as stores, a region, distribution centers or omnichannel operations, to the question you need answered. Weigh whether a current role or a past one sits closest to the decision you face.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your operations role at Academy Sports + Outdoors?
- 02Which operations decision at Academy Sports + Outdoors would you make differently today, and why?
- 03What has your own work taught you about keeping stores and distribution centers in step with each other?
Reaching Academy Sports + Outdoors operations leaders
How can I contact one of these Academy Sports + Outdoors operations leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: Academy Sports + Outdoors, based on profile data retrieved on October 25, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Academy Sports + Outdoors operations leaders?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these Academy Sports + Outdoors operations leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.