Description
Under Richard Sharp, Circuit City grew from a company
with 50 stores and $500 million in sales to become one
of the nation?s largest electronics retailers.
Sharp joined Circuit City as executive vice president
in 1982. In less than two years, he was named president
and became CEO in 1986. The company focused on ?category
killer? superstores providing shoppers with a wide
selection of consumer electronics products. Circuit City?s
sales now top $11 billion.
In 1993, Sharp re-invented the
used-car business by starting CarMax, a no-hassle
chain of used-car superstores. Today,
Richmond-based CarMax has grown into the country?s
largest retailer for used cars, operating 67 superstores
in 31 markets generating revenues of more than $6 billion.
Sharp tried to revolutionize another industry in the
late 1990s with the introduction of the Divx, video disk
system. The product, however, failed to catch on and
was dropped in 1999. He has had better luck recently
with Crocs, a new footwear company that raised millions
in its February initial public offering.
Sharp retired as Circuit City?s
CEO in 2000 and stepped down as chairman in 2002.
He remains chairman
of CarMax. Sharp is a member of the Greater Richmond
Business Hall of Fame.
Last Changes
2017/09/04
The celebrity has been marked as passed away
2013/07/03
Address Removed: Available to members only
2011/03/09
New Address: Available to members only