NORTH KINGSTOWN – Paul Pinto, a veteran human resources executive with more than 30 years of experience across retail, hospitality, technology and workforce development, has joined Ocean State Job Lot as its new head of people, the company announced Tuesday.
In his new role, Pinto will oversee the discount retailer’s human resources department and lead efforts related to people strategy, organizational development, workforce engagement, talent management and associate relations for the company’s nearly 7,000 employees.
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Pinto joins the North Kingstown-based company as it continues to receive national workplace recognition, including being named a 2026-2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Company to Work For in the consumer products category, ranking first in the enterprise category of the 2026 Inspiring Workplaces Awards and earning Gold Honoree status as a 2026 U.S. Best Managed Company.
“Paul brings tremendous experience building strong, people-focused organizations and supporting large, diverse workforces,” said Bob Selle, vice president of Ocean State Job Lot. “As we build on the momentum of recent national recognition for our workplace culture, his background in retail, distribution and workforce development will be an invaluable asset as we continue investing in our associates and strengthening what makes Ocean State Job Lot such a special place to work.”
Most recently, Pinto was founder and principal of CultureSync LLC, a human resources consulting firm focused on culture transformation, leadership development and organizational effectiveness. Before that, he served as global vice president of strategic people development and University@Peloton at Peloton Interactive, where he created workforce development programs designed to support career advancement for warehouse, distribution and transportation employees.
Pinto also spent more than 13 years in senior human resources leadership positions at Starbucks Coffee Co. and previously held human resources and labor relations roles with Omni Hotels.
“Ocean State Job Lot has built an exceptional culture grounded in its commitment to associates, customers and the communities it serves,” Pinto said. “I’m honored to join the company and look forward to working with leaders and associates across the organization to build upon that strong foundation, create meaningful opportunities for professional growth and support the company’s continued success.”
Pinto holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration and has completed master’s-level coursework in human resource management and labor relations at Harvard University. His professional credentials include senior professional in human resources, certified labor relations professional and International Coaching Federation certified executive coach.
Ocean State Job Lot operates 175 stores across 11 states and reports annual sales exceeding $900 million.
Veer Mudambi is the special projects editor at Providence Business News and covers the nonprofit and education sectors. He can be reached at mudambi@pbn.com.
