David A. Spehar, a 30-year appraisal and disposition veteran whose work has encompassed over 350 companies and thousands of retail stores across North America, has joined Tiger Group as Associate Director of Field Operations.
Spehar’s new role includes overseeing Tiger’s data-driven approach to marketing and selling furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) during liquidations and strategic store-closings, as well as conducting field evaluations of retail stores and distribution centers on behalf of Tiger’s valuation practice. He reports to Tiger Group Executive Managing Director Arnold L. Jacobs.
“The depth of Dave’s experience is notable,” Jacobs said. “It includes managing the operations and financials for liquidations across the United States and Canada; marketing and selling millions of dollars’ worth of inventory and FF&E; and using his training as a merchant and engineer to conduct wholesale, retail and industrial appraisals. We’re thrilled to welcome Dave to the Tiger team.”
Spehar joins Tiger after working closely with the company for the past 12 years as a senior field consultant. His engagements have included supervisory FF&E or field operations roles on projects such as Macy’s, Modell’s Sporting Goods, Big Lots, RadioShack, Sports Authority and Gander Mountain.
“We have been particularly impressed with Dave’s ability to find unrecognized FF&E value by combining old-fashioned legwork with cutting-edge approaches to digital marketing and research,” said Tiger Group COO Michael McGrail. “Dave also puts a strong focus on teamwork and communication, which is right in line with our culture at Tiger.”
The Virginia native achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and went on to earn a degree in soil and resource management from Virginia Tech. He spent nine years managing warehouse club stores before his talents were discovered by a national appraisal and disposition firm. “They hired me in 1993 after I worked with them on the closing of my stores,” Spehar said. “I’ve never looked back.”
In the years that followed, Spehar contributed to many of the leading firms in asset-based lending. His project list includes household-name department stores such as Sears Canada, Fortunoff, Woodward & Lothrop, Montgomery Ward, JCPenney and Eaton’s.
The longtime Tiger consultant set up the FF&E program for Francesca’s, served as FF&E co-lead on Circuit City and was operations lead on Kitchen Collection, RoomStore, Bachrach, HOBO and XS Cargo, the Canadian discount store chain.
He also led or co-led various special projects that required temporarily managing companies’ inventories, warehouses or overall operations. These engagements included for-profit education chain ITT Tech, ModCloth, Burnsville Hosiery, and Fenco Automotive.
