(Multichannel Merchant) The CEO of Oriental Trading Co. has stepped down. The gifts and novelties cataloger says that Stephen Frary resigned Nov. 30 "to pursue other interests." He had been CEO of the Omaha-based company since 2000.

Oriental Trading has formed a committee of senior vice presidents and members of the board of directors to run the company in Frary's absence and search for a new chief executive. The cataloger was acquired by private equity firm The Carlyle Group in 2006.

Founded in 1932 by Harry Watanabe, Oriental Trading sells party supplies, novelties, toys, and arts and crafts supplies to consumers and businesses. The company has more than 18 million customers on file and mails 300 million catalogs a year.