Bill Simmons has stepped down as president and CEO of Berean Christian Stores, less than three months after leading the regional chain through bankruptcy.

His October resignation was a personal decision and not related to the business, said Deanna Gimelli, who with her husband, Joseph, bought the Cincinnati-based chain for almost $2 million in August.

The couple will play an active role in the leadership of the company, with no immediate plans for a successor to Simmons, she added. "Our desire is to be hands-on, and we will be working alongside the existing personnel."

Meanwhile, Simmons has launched Beta Strategy, a consultancy "for when you need a Plan B," offering advice on crisis management, bankruptcy and strategic planning for small businesses. "These are things I have more experience in that I ever dreamed I would have," he said. "It's also an area I can personally vouch for that business owners just don't know what their options are."

Simmons said that he would be serving businesses from any industry, but he was already in discussions with a couple of potential clients from the Christian retailing world. "So many bookstores are having it tough, and it's not just because of the economy," he said.

Bought by a private equity firm from Standex International in 2006, Berean grew to 26 stores but cut the number by a third as it hit cash-flow problems in the last year. The former owners of a California winery, the Gimellis bought the 18-outlet chain—which dates back to 1934—after it had filled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June.

"We definitely do not see any need to close any stores, and we believe that Berean will be growing," Gimelli said. The couple first became aware of Berean as customers of one of its Southern California stores.

Gimelli said that she and her husband knew that they had entered the Christian retail world at a challenging time, but "when God calls you to walk in faith, that's what you do. We really believe that it's about getting the Word of God greater distribution."

Simmons has an extensive background in Christian retailing. He spent 10 years at Cedar Springs Christian Stores in Knoxville, Tenn. He joined Bible Factory Outlet (BFO) in 1999, and the chain grew under his leadership.

BFO closed a number of its stores after his departure and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2007. Simmons joined Berean in January 2005 as vice president of merchandising and marketing, and was promoted to president in summer 2007.

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