Harvey Kanter

President, Chief Executive Officer & Director, Destination Xl

Search every verified Harvey Kanter interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a September 2022 interview, Harvey Kanter described DXL Group as "the largest Pure Play Big and Tall retailer in the United States and perhaps the world," stating that the company serves an "underserved community for big and tall men." Kanter, a career retailer with over 30 years of experience, discussed the company's challenges during the pandemic, noting that "during the worst of the pandemic, we were fighting for survival" and that the company's workforce had declined from about 2,700 to 1,300 employees. He also mentioned ongoing labor shortages, with about 20% of store positions open, double the normal rate. Kanter emphasized the importance of team-building and transparent communication, stating that "you win or lose by the people you work with" and that "culture takes years to build and if you lose people, you lose culture." He described his leadership approach as decentralized, noting that the pandemic forced a shift to empowering employees to take ownership. Kanter said his senior leadership team are "my partners" and that he values their perspectives, adding that "I'm not their boss, just one of the people at the table." He also highlighted the company's focus on its "unique mission and purpose" in serving the big and tall customer base.