Marketing

GMDC taps new president
Patrick Spear has joined GMDC as president to fill a role previously held by the organization’s long-time CEO Dave McConnell. Spear brings 25-plus years of experience in the consumer and office products industry to GMDC’s senior management team.
Sears says ‘yes’ to rugs
SearsRugs.com is the name of a new online marketplace that promises to make shopping for high end affordable rugs easy and fun.

The site launched recently and promises access to tens of thousands of the best handmade and machine-made rugs from around the world. SearsRugs.com, a licensee of Sears Holdings, said it is working with the retailer to provide an easy and fun shopping experience and indicated the relationship would give SearsRugs.com a substantial position in the online rug market.

Delta Galil finds fit with new CEO

Former Maidenform CEO Maurice Reznic was named Delta Galil’s CEO of women’s intimate apparel for U.S. and U.K. and president of its U.S. branch.
SRS Real Estate hires Michael Federle to lead new San Francisco group

Dallas --SRS Real Estate Partners has introduced San Francisco’s Investment Services Group, led by capital markets industry veteran Michael Federle. Federle has been hired as senior VP of the new team, which will be tasked with representing institutions, developers, and high-net-worth individuals in the sale, acquisition, and financing of quality real estate assets.  
New York & Company names Kohl’s veteran as president, COO

New York -- New York & Company announced that John Worthington has joined the company as president and COO, effective immediately. Worthington will lead the company’s store operations, real estate, outlets, finance, IT, sourcing and logistics areas.
Earthwerks adds new head of product development and marketing strategy

Houston -- EarthWerks flooring has added an additional position for the company. Lindsey Nisbet will join as head of product development and marketing strategy. Nisbet will be focused on designing and developing new LVT products as well as determining the best ways to market and merchandise our line with our distribution and dealer network.
Gap Raises Bar on Digital With New CEO

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Eloquii’s Fast-Fashion Take on Plus Sizes

Fast-fashion for plus-sized women: That’s what eloquii.com is on a mission to deliver. While a retail format that offers runway-inspired looks for shoppers sized 14 to 24 is a no-brainer, the concept is practically radical in fast-fashion retailing.
Live from New York: SuperSaturday showcases RetailROI, top retail trends

Anyone planning to attend the NRF Convention Jan. 11-14, 2015, should consider arriving one day early to attend another event that is chock-full of information and industry expertise: SuperSaturday. Each year, RetailROI independently offers SuperSaturday, a one-day event held the Saturday before the official Sunday kickoff to the NRF Convention.

This year, SuperSaturday falls on Jan. 10. Held at the PwC Auditorium in Manhattan from 8 a.m.
Best of the Best: Top CEOs

To some folks, he’s an innovator, a genius who has fundamentally transformed the retail equation. To others, he’s a bully. And now Jeff Bezos has a new label: the world’s best-performing CEO.

The designation comes way of the Harvard Business Review’s 2014 ranking of the 100 best-performing CEOs. The list offers the only ranking of global CEOs’ performances over their entire tenure.
PwC: Retail and consumer mega deals hits seven year high in Q3

New York -- Retail and consumer merger and acquisition activity in the United States during the third quarter of 2014 was driven by the highest volume of mega deals (deals with a value of over $1 billion) in at least seven years, leading to overall transaction value jumping significantly during the quarter when compared to the year ago period, according to PwC’s U.S. retail and consumer deals insights Q3 2014 report.
Foot Locker CEO Ken Hicks to retire; COO to assume role

New York -- Foot Locker Inc. announced that, as part of a planned succession process, Ken Hicks, 61, intends to retire as president and CEO of the company on Dec. 1, 2014. Hicks, a highly-regarded retail veteran who has been wooed by other retailers for the top spot, will be succeeded as president and CEO by COO Richard (Dick) A. Johnson, 56, who has been with Foot Locker for almost two decades.