Johnson & Johnson exec to lead hardlines for Sears

Sears Holdings Co. has made an interesting choice to lead its hardlines division.

The company announced that Lynn Pendergrass has joined the company in the new role of president, hardlines. In this position, she will be responsible for working across the Kenmore, Craftsman & DieHard business unit and its hardlines partners — including Home Appliances, Lawn & Garden, Tools, and Sears Auto Centers — to develop compelling offers and build relationships with members who shop the hardline categories.

"Lynn is a proven executive with deep expertise driving cross-functional alignment, growing market share and delivering on key objectives," said Edward S. Lampert, Sears Holdings' Chairman and CEO. "Her range and depth of consumer and product experiences, coupled with her track record of achieving results through diverse teams makes her a strong fit for Sears Holdings as we pursue our member-focused transformation."

Pendergrass' appointment comes as Sears recently reported disappointing financial results.

Pendergrass comes to Sears Holdings from Johnson & Johnson, where she directed an approximately $14 billion business segment with 23,000 employees in 80 countries as worldwide chairman, Consumer. Prior to J&J, Pendergrass served as the senior vice president & general manager of the printing and personal systems group at Hewlett-Packard (HP). Before joining HP, she successfully led the consumer businesses for over 20 years at General Electric, including appliances and lighting, with a particular focus on global brand and product management, insight-led innovation and building exceptional customer partnerships.