expenses, and suspending the 4th quarter stock dividend. In January 2018, Stein Mart announced that it would explore strategic alternatives for the company. In February 2020, Stein Mart entered into a deal to make the company private; its common stock would no longer be listed on any public stock market. The transaction is subject to approval by Stein Mart shareholders and was "expected to close in the first half of calendar year 2020." Bankruptcy On August 12, 2020, Stein Mart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, it was announced that all Stein Mart locations would be closing permanently. All stores were closed by October 2020. Leadership In 2002, Jay Stein stepped down as CEO but remained as chairman and the largest Stein Mart shareholder. John H. Williams Jr. served as vice chairman and chief executive officer of the company from September 2001 to February 2003 and still serves on the Stein Mart board. Michael D. Fisher held the position of president and chief executive officer of the company from 2003 to August 2007. At that time, Fisher resigned and Linda McFarland Farthing was appointed as president and chief executive officer of Stein Mart. Farthing had been a longtime Stein Mart board member and held the president and CEO position for one year. Upon her resignation in 2008, David H. Stovall Jr., served as CEO until 2011. In September 2011, he announced his retirement, leaving Jay Stein to take over as the interim CEO. On April 25, 2014, Stein Mart announced that the Board of Directors had created the Office of the President, appointing D. Hunt Hawkins and Brian R. Morrow to share the office. Both reported to CEO Jay Stein. Hawkins had been with the company for 20 years, starting as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and COO since December 2011. Morrow joined Stein Mart as Chief Merchandising Officer in February 2010 after holding similar positions with Macy's North/Marshall, Mervyn's and Macy's West. On March 15, 2016, Stein Mart named Dawn Robertson as CEO, replacing Jay Stein. Robertson resigned as CEO in September 2016 at which time D. Hunt Hawkins was named Interim CEO. On January 26, 2017, the company announced the appointment of MaryAnne Morin as president and "interim" was removed from the CEO title of D. Hunt Hawkins. When Stein Mart's Director of Stores Gary Pierce requested early retirement on May 1,