10 Guitar Center operations leaders
Mike Schultheis, EVP & Chief Stores Officer at The Guitar Center Company, opens this list of Guitar Center operations leaders, which also includes vice presidents of retail operations and retail supply chain, a regional vice president and directors of operations. A reader can learn how operations leaders work at Guitar Center from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Carson Quesnell
LinkedInExperience: Director of Retail Operations · The Guitar Center Company
Carson Quesnell has been Director of Retail Operations at The Guitar Center Company since January 2017, based in Thousand Oaks, California. Carson Quesnell was District Manager at The Guitar Center Company from 2013 to 2016 and Retail Store Manager there from 2009 to 2013 and from 2005 to 2009.
David Russell
LinkedInExperience: Director Of Operations · The Guitar Center Company
David Russell has been Director Of Operations at The Guitar Center Company since September 2020, based in Kansas City, Missouri. David Russell was Sr. Manager of Operations at The Guitar Center Company from 2017 to 2020, Operations Manager there from 2007 to 2017 and Operations Supervisor at The Home Depot from 2005 to 2007.
Eric Tomaszewski
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Supply Chain Retail · The Guitar Center Company
Eric Tomaszewski has been Vice President, Supply Chain Retail at The Guitar Center Company since May 2022 and has also held the role of General Manager, National Distribution there since April 2018, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Eric Tomaszewski was General Manager, eCommerce Fulfillment at Walmart from 2014 to 2018.
Gregory Barr
LinkedInExperience: Former Vice President Of Retail Operations · The Guitar Center Company
Gregory Barr is a former Vice President Of Retail Operations at The Guitar Center Company, a role held from 2016 to 2024, and was Regional Vice President there from 2005 to 2016, based in the Los Angeles area. Gregory Barr was President, Owner at Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions - NW Los Angeles in 2025.
John Newberry
LinkedInExperience: Director of Store Administration Operations · The Guitar Center Company
John Newberry has been Director of Store Administration Operations at The Guitar Center Company since January 2010, based in Los Angeles County, California. John Newberry was Inventory Control Manager at The Guitar Center Company from 2001 to 2010 and Guitar Center District manager, North West there from 1998 to 2001.
Kenneth Pistone
LinkedInExperience: Director of Retail Operations · The Guitar Center Company
Kenneth Pistone has been Director of Retail Operations at The Guitar Center Company since February 2026, based in the United States. Kenneth Pistone was Senior Manager, Store Labor and Retail Analytics at The Guitar Center Company from 2019 to 2026 and Manager, Sales Administration & Retail Support there from 2018 to 2019.
Kristy Ribble
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Retail Operations · The Guitar Center Company
Kristy Ribble has been Vice President, Retail Operations at The Guitar Center Company since December 2024, based in the Los Angeles area. Kristy Ribble was Senior Director Store Operations & Customer Service at Torrid from 2023 to 2024 and Director Of Store Operations at Torrid from 2019 to 2022.
Mike Schultheis
LinkedInExperience: EVP & Chief Stores Officer · The Guitar Center Company
Mike Schultheis has been EVP & Chief Stores Officer at The Guitar Center Company since October 2024, based in Aurora, Colorado. Mike Schultheis was Senior Vice President - Stores U.S. at PetSmart from 2022 to 2024 and Senior Vice President Retail Operations - West at PetSmart from 2020 to 2022.
Mike Walsh
LinkedInExperience: Regional Vice President · The Guitar Center Company
Mike Walsh has been Regional Vice President at The Guitar Center Company since December 2025 and has also held the role of District Manager there since September 2023, based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Mike Walsh was Store Manager at The Guitar Center Company from 2021 to 2023 and Store Leader at PetSmart from 2016 to 2021.
Paul Schaffer
LinkedInExperience: Former Regional Vice President · The Guitar Center Company
Paul Schaffer is a former Regional Vice President at The Guitar Center Company, a role held from 2023 to 2025, based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Paul Schaffer has been Vice President, Head of Stores at Music & Arts since October 2025 and was Market Senior Director at Best Buy from 2016 to 2023.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's scope, whether company-wide store operations, one region of stores, store administration, or distribution and supply chain, to the decision you face. Check when each person's role started or ended to judge how recent their view of the work is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you change first when you took on your current operations role, and why?
- 02How do you decide which stores or regions need the most attention each month?
- 03What has your own work taught you about rolling out a new process to stores?
Reaching Guitar Center operations leaders
How can I contact one of these Guitar Center 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: The Guitar Center Company, based on profile data retrieved on October 27, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Guitar Center 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.
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.