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Provides Testimony In

Retail, Retail Consultant, Merchandising, Operations, Store Safety, Retail Real Estate, Management Use of Capital, Organization, Retail Policy on Safety, Specialty Stores, Big Box Stores, Department Stores,Standards, Store Execution, Corporate Execution, Incident Reviews

HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS

Highly accomplished and results-driven professional with proven leadership abilities, exceptional interpersonal and communication skills and an extensive background in the retail industry.

  • The ability to inspire a shared vision
  • Foster collaboration and enable others to act
  • A positive and reaching communication style
  • Challenging processes, searching for opportunities and calculating risk
  • A passion for leadership
  • Encourages others to be their best

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

GW RETAIL CONSULTING | 2010 – Present
Chief Executive Officer

  • A retail consultant focused on Brands / Trends / Merchandising / Operations / Store Safety
  • Expert assessment of retail brands and their operations
  • Guidance to management, owners, legal and the investment community
  • Complete review of merchandising, marketing, in house design, product development, sourcing, buying
  • Retail real estate reviews of malls, strip centers, life style shopping areas, distribution centers
  • Brand positioning, competitive review, assortment diagnostics
  • Product expertise with teen, women, kids, shoes, accessories, jewelry, plus size, beauty
  • Online, social merchandising, customer connection and guidance
  • Management staffing review, SGA assessment, operations review, cost/expense assessment
  • Experienced with Fast Fashion, Department Stores, Specialty, Big Box and general product stores
  • Opened and managed stores in all 50 states, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, Japan, Korea
  • A variety of consultation formats: Retained, training, round-table discussions, market reviews, mall walks with management/investment teams, conference calls. Brand specific reviews and/or brand comparisons

UNITED RETAIL GROUP, INC. – A PPR COMPANY | 2008 – 2010
Chief Executive Officer

  • United Retail acquired by PPR in Fall 2007
  • Successfully Executed Special Turnaround – Helped move a recently acquired company from public to private, reduce its losses, and grow the company
  • Women’s plus size brands of Avenue, Avenue Body, Cloudwalker Footwear, Avenue Direct, and Jessica London Catalogue
  • 500 mall and strip-center based specialty stores and online stores
  • In-house exclusive designs and contract manufactured
  • Full P&L and brand development responsibilities
  • Charged with improving United Retail Group profitability and growing its concept

THE WET SEAL, INC. | 2004 – 2008
Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

  • Successfully Executed Special Turnaround – Returned this company to profitability from large financial losses
  • Sales, real estate, store planning & construction, operations, purchasing, acquisitions, and strategies
  • 470 mall based fashion retail stores, Arden B. and Wet Seal brands
  • Full P&L responsibilities
  • Major turnaround project, saving company from financial failure and returning it to a profitable brand

SAVERS, INC. | 2000 – 2003
President & Chief Executive Officer / Owner / Director

  • Successfully Executed Special Turnaround – Transitioned the company from a family owned and operated business to a growth strategy. 60% is now owned by private investors
  • Leading the operations of 197 thrift stores
  • Retail operations in Canada, Australia, and the United States
  • Responsible for brand, strategy and concept development
  • The largest for profit thrift store chain worldwide

THE GYMBOREE CORPORATION | 1996 – 2000
Chief Executive Officer, Director

  • Responsible for the profitable operation of over 600 retail stores, 400 parent/child play & music program locations
  • Designed, sourced and manufactured high quality play clothing
  • Operating in 14 countries. Growing from 200 to over 600 stores
  • Direct reports were international director of operations, heads of merchandising, marketing, stores, human resources, real estate and finance

MERVYN’S STORES | 1992 – 1996
Executive Vice President, Stores & Operations

  • Management and operations of 295 stores with annual sales in excess of $4.5 billion with 30,000 + employees
  • Responsible for setting direction in support of company vision
  • Financial responsibility included a $500 million annual budget
  • Executive member of the Target Corporation management council. A parent company decision making body

TARGET STORES | 1976 – 1992
Vice President Regional Manager – West | 1987 – 1992

  • Management of 60 stores in Northern California and Nevada
  • Six districts, sales of $1.2 billion
  • Operating profit/loss responsibility

Regional Merchandising Manager – West | 1984 – 1987

  • Management of stores inventories, assortments and product timing
  • Sales responsibility for all West Coast stores. Store count grew from 27 to 118 in four years
  • Direct reports of eight field merchandisers

District Manager – California, Missouri, Illinois | 1980 – 1984

  • Managed district groupings of stores in St. Louis and Southern California. Store count ranged from 9 to 13
  • 1,800 employees, $210 million in volume responsibility
  • Full P&L accountability
  • Planned the initial Target Stores entry into Southern California. Opened 10 new stores in the market

Store Manager – Missouri | 1976 – 1980

  • General store manager duties in three stores over a five year period
  • Volume responsibility ranged from $12 million to $22 million
  • Full P&L accountability
  • Appointed to open one new store
  • Named Manager of the Year – 1979

COOK UNITED | 1972 – 1976
Store Management – Ohio

  • Various management assignments from trainee to store manager
  • Three store manager appointments during my tenure
  • Cook United operated large format discount stores with general merchandise. The store merchandising focus was directed toward hardware and home improvement

BOARD OF DIRECTOR ASSIGNMENTS

  • National Retail Federation 2008 – Present
  • March of Dimes – National Trustee, Executive Director 1995 – 2000
  • Kids in Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.) 1996 – 2000
  • Gymboree Inc. Gymboree International 1996 – 2000
  • Savers Inc. 2000 – 2003

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

  • Cuyahoga Community College (1970)
  • Henry Crown Fellow – a four year values based leader internship at the Aspen Institute (1997)
  • Stanford University Corporate Directors Consortium
  • Harvard Negotiation Institute
  • Various management development courses, as student and instructor

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