Sandra B. Cochran has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. by its board of directors.
Cochran will have responsibility for all aspects of the company’s finance, accounting, strategic planning, investor relations and information services functions. She will report to chairman, president and chief executive officer Michael A. Woodhouse. She joined Cracker Barrel April 6.
“We are pleased to have someone with Sandy’s experience joining Cracker Barrel,” said Woodhouse. “Sandy brings great talent and skills both in finance and in business leadership. Having been both CEO and CFO of a retailing company gives her the ability to contribute broadly to our finance, operations and business strategy.”
Cochran brings five years experience as the chief executive officer at the nation’s third largest book retailer, Books-A-Million, Inc. She also served as that company’s president from 1999 and as its chief financial officer from 1993 to 1999. As vice president, finance at Books-A-Million, she was part of the leadership team which took the company public in 1992 and completed a secondary offering in October 1993.
Prior to joining Books-A-Million, Cochran held the position of vice president, corporate finance of SunTrust Securities, Inc., a subsidiary of SunTrust Banks, Inc., for seven years.
Cochran holds a chemical engineering degree from Vanderbilt University and a master of business administration from Pacific Lutheran University. Following graduation from Vanderbilt, she entered the United States Army where she ultimately served as a Captain in the Ninth Infantry Division.