BARK, Inc. announced the appointments of Michael Black as Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager, Consumables and Michael Parness as Chief Marketing Officer and General Manager, Play, effective immediately. Reporting to the Company?s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Matt Meeker, Mr. Black and Mr. Parness will lead the Company?s expansion across its consumables and play categories, respectively. Most recently, Mr. Black served as the Founder and President of Paragon International Advisors, a consulting firm focused on partnering with private equity investors in the pet industry.

Prior to that, he served as the Chief Executive Officer?and previously the Chief Revenue Officer?of Outward Hound. During his tenure, he led Outward Hound through a successful digital transformation and years of significant growth. Previously, Mr. Black served as Senior Buyer, Pet Accessories at Walmart.

Mr. Black has also served as Board Advisor to PetLab Co. since 2022. He holds an M.B.A. from the University of Arkansas and a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University.

He resides in Bentonville, AR with his wife Paola, their 4 children, and their Newfoundlandnamed Chewie. Mr. Parness brings three decades of experience leading transformative brand, retail, and e-commerce initiatives, unlocking sustainable growth across various CPG industries, including pet and toys. He served most recently as the Chief Marketing Officer of JustFoodForDogs, a premium fresh dog food brand, where he was responsible for elevating brand awareness and driving growth across their direct-to-consumer, e-commerce, and owned retail channels.

Before that, Mr. Parness served as the Chief Digital Officer of Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, a multi-brand, omnichannel wine portfolio. Previously, he served as the Chief Marketing Officer of Outward Hound for nine years, where he worked closely with Mr. Black and led various functions including brand strategy, performance marketing, social media, and creative.

Mr. Parness was also responsible for starting and growing their direct-to-consumer and e-commerce channels, which grew significantly during his tenure. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Toy Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Industrial Design from Pratt Institute. He resides in Denver, CO with his long-term partner Jennifer, her two kids, and their St Bernard/Newfoundland/Doodle mix named Lola.