James Singleton Gulmi

James Singleton Gulmi, (Jim), 78, of Nashville, TN, passed away on Monday, August 26th. The idea of a bland obituary – really anything bland – would appall him so we will do our best to keep this interesting.

Jim was born in Schenectady, NY, to Hank and June Gulmi on March 16, 1946. He was joined by his sisters Susan and Sally soon after, and the stories they suggested we include here were hilarious, but not what one might want in a paper of record. Jim inherited his strong work ethic and penchant for sayings from his father. Winners are workers. No pain, no gain. Everybody puts their pants on one leg at a time. Jim’s sayings are core to our family.

Jim graduated from Niskayuna High School, Baldwin Wallace University and received his Master of Business Administration from Emory Goizueta Business School in 1971. After graduation, he settled in Nashville with his first wife Susan Cole Adams. They soon welcomed Brad and Leah and Jim’s priorities were crystallized. Jim loved Brad and Leah fiercely and unconditionally and never let a day go by without a conversation.

Jim married his wife Claire in 1988, and their family grew to include Claire’s daughter Maggie. Jim and Claire spent 36 wonderful years together (with at least twice daily searches for Jim’s keys or his electronics). Having the family together was Jim’s most important priority and he and Claire bought a home in Deer Valley, Utah to ensure their family and friends could be together frequently. From New Years Eve game tournaments to huge family dinners and lots of music on the patio, Jim made sure we were always laughing and having a good time.

While raising their family, Jim was making a lasting impact in the Nashville business community. He began his career at Genesco in 1971 and spent 43 years there, serving as CFO from 1986 to 2015. Jim played a huge role in Genesco’s history, stewarding the company during the best of times and through very rough stretches. He served as CFO under six different CEOs and really saw it all; he was the constant thread running through the successful transformation of the company and was incredibly proud of his tenure. As his close friend and former Genesco CEO said, “Jim was endlessly curious, always focused on doing the right thing and joyfully absent minded.”

In 2011, Jim and Claire were awarded CFO Lifetime Achievement awards by the Nashville Business Journal. Claire was the CFO at Amsurg and the two of them were finance powerhouses. The joint award was an incredibly meaningful recognition of their impact to their companies and to Nashville. We also never worried about how to calculate the tip.

Jim retired from Genesco in 2015, but full retirement wasn’t in his nature. He was passionate about EVA, loved spreadsheets and could wax poetic on inventory management; that expertise and passion led him to take on the role of CEO of Pac Sun from 2016 to 2019. He then served as Chairman of the Board until March 2024. Jim commuted to LA weekly for several years and loved sharing his knowledge while mentoring and encouraging the young leadership team. It was a second act that brought him great joy and meaning. After he retired, the company honored him by awarding an employee each quarter with the Jim Gulmi Award for Excellence.

Jim believed in service and cared deeply about his community. He served as the Treasurer of Leadership Nashville for many years, was on the board of The Community Foundation, was a member of the United Way Toqueville Society and on the finance committee of KIPP Nashville.

Jim is survived by his wife of 36 years, Claire Moody Gulmi; his son Brad Gulmi (Yuliya), daughter Leah Falconeiri (Matthew) and stepdaughter Maggie Rittenhouse (Matt); his sisters Susan Gulmi Peck (Jim) and Sally Gulmi; sisters-in-law Diane Patterson (Kent), Tina DeSha (Roy), Cynthia Crowley (Neal) and brother-in-law Dale Moody (Theresa); his 8 grandchildren Max Gulmi, Sofia Gulmi, Boden Gulmi, James Falconeiri, Ella Falconeiri, Charlie Falconeiri, Claire Rittenhouse and Jack Rittenhouse; and many nieces and nephews.

To say his grandchildren were the light of Jim’s life would be an understatement. He cherished each of them. Jim was the self-proclaimed “Fun Guy,” and his grandchildren can testify that the moniker fit. From Titans games to every outdoor adventure possible in Utah to required daily Starbucks runs, he made sure there was always something exciting to do. But, most importantly, he showed up for them, told them he believed in them and that, if they worked hard, they could do anything.

Jim was a consummate family man, a dedicated leader, a passionate mentor, a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle. His mantra was “Work hard. Play hard.” and that he did. We were the luckiest to have him in our lives and miss him immensely. We promise to never eat vanilla ice cream (there are 30 other NON-BORING flavors!) and to always turn the music up too loud. He left us a legacy that can’t be forgotten.

Visitation with the family will be held from 10:00 – 11:30 am on Saturday, September 14th in Hampton Hall at St. George’s Episcopal Church. A memorial service will follow at 11:30 am. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to The Community Foundation, United Way, KIPP Nashville or to a charity of your choice.