Peter Fowler
Peter was born and raised in the Toledo, Ohio area. He graduated from St. Louis University cum laude with a BA in Psychology and was elected to Psi-Chi, the international Honor Society in Psychology. He received his MBA in Marketing from the University of Pittsburgh.
After graduation, Peter began his 40+ year retail career in the executive training program with Famous Barr, a May Company department store based in St. Louis, Missouri. He was recruited to Richmond, Virginia and worked for both Miller & Rhodes and Thalhimers department stores as a buyer before moving into the home arena as a merchandise manager with This End Up Furniture Company.
In 2000 he was recruited by Pier 1 Imports, based in Fort Worth, Texas where he spent 15 years rising through the ranks to become Vice-President in charge of their furniture business, leading teams designing and sourcing product. He was instrumental in creating and driving the Pier 1 Kids brand overseeing all merchandising and marketing initiatives for the division.
In 2016, he joined Tuesday Morning, based in Dallas as Vice-President, merchandising. Over his career he was involved in many special projects involving recruitment, retainment and training programs as well as nurturing product development skills and assortment planning with new merchants. He acted as a major liaison and ambassador with international partners and companies across the globe, traveling the world frequently.
Peter retired in 2019 and relocated to Bath County. Over his lifetime, his love for music has never wavered, singing in church choirs, glee clubs, as a member of the University Chorale and Madrigal singers at St. Louis University, as well as with the James River Singers, a small ensemble group in Richmond. He has been an active patron of the arts in Richmond and Dallas/Ft Worth and Garth Newel Music Center has become an extremely important part of keeping his soul nourished in this small mountain community.
In addition to music, other interests include theatre, architecture, historic preservation, gardens and gardening, travel and reading. He has renovated and restored 5 period homes, culminating with the historic Roseloe Manor within eyesight of the Garth Newel campus. He actively volunteers with the Bath County Arts Association.
Peter also serves on the local boards of Visit Bath and Preservation Bath.
