Marketing

Plano, Texas - Rent-A-Center, Inc. has named Aubyn Thomas as VP marketing. With more than 15 years of leadership experience in brand strategy and customer-relationship management, Thomas recently served as VP consumer marketing at Lowe’s Home Improvement, where she was responsible for delivery of all consumer and professional marketing programs.

Earlier in her career, Thomas held leadership positions with organizations such as Macy’s, Caesars Entertainment, Bank of America and Lenscrafters Retail Group.

Kevin Mead, the former SVP, director of stores for the Children's Place, has joined the senior team at Aerosoles as EVP, retail reporting directly to CEO Jules Schneider. Mead will lead the strategic direction, ongoing expansion and operations of Aerosoles retail and outlet locations.

Aerosoles has brought in Mead to spearhead for the retail division the company’s growth strategy, following its recent partnership with Palladin Consumer Retail Partners (PCRP). 

Edison, N.J. -- Kevin Mead, the former senior VP, director of Stores for The Children's Place, has joined the senior team at Aerosoles as executive VP, retail reporting directly to CEO Jules Schneider. Mead will lead the strategic direction, ongoing expansion and operations of Aerosoles retail and outlet locations.

Dallas -- The Container Store has made POP!, its customer loyalty and engagement, available in its 66 existing stores and on its website.

“Our aim is to make POP! a simple, relevant and engaging program for our customers to help us deepen their relationship with our brand and reward them for their devotion to The Container Store,” said Melissa Reiff, president & COO of The Container Store.

New York – Bebe Store Inc. has named Seth Johnson, Blair Lambert and Brett Brewer to replace Caden Wang, Barbara Bass and Cynthia Cohen on the company’s board of directors, effective immediately. Johnson previously served as CEO of Pacific Sunwear of California Inc.

Johnson also served as COO and CFO of Abercrombie and Fitch. Prior to joining Abercrombie and Fitch he held positions at The Limited Inc., Batus Retail Group, Conoco, and Dayton Hudson (now known as Target).

Sales and marketing services leader Crossmark unveiled a first-of-its-kind collaboration center on July 10 just steps from Walmart’s Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters. The new facility offers the retailer and its trading partners a wide range of joint business planning, shopper insights and store execution capabilities.

Just a day after reporting first-quarter results, the Container Store has launched POP! — its customer engagement program of Perfectly Organized Perks — in its 66 existing stores and on its website.

New York -- Ron Johnson, who has been keeping a low profile since he was ousted from J.C. Penney in April 2013, made a rare guest appearance at Stanford University. Johnson, a graduate of Stanford and a member of its board, was a guest speaker at the university's View From the Top series in May, where he discussed with Stanford Graduate School of Business students Penny, Apple and Target and the lessons learned over his career in retail.