Experience

United Fashions Of Texas

• United States
• Consumer Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Merchandise Officer

  • Aug 2022 - Present

  UFOT is a private company, which owns and operates retail stores under the Melrose and My Melrose names. I look forward to helping the family and team achieve their growth goals over the next several years, and serving our customers. UFOT is a private company, which owns and operates retail stores under the Melrose and My Melrose names. I look forward to helping the family and team achieve their growth goals over the next several years, and serving our customers.



Stage Stores

• United States
• Retail
• 700 & Above Employee

• SVP - General Merchandise Manager

  • Sep 2018 - Jul 2020

  A leading retailer of name-brand apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear, and home goods, operating more than 700 stores through subsidiaries Beall’s (Texas), Goody’s, Palais Royal, Peebles, Stage specialty department stores, and Gordmans off-price stores, and an e-commerce site. Led 90-person cross-functional team in developing and executing merchandising, financial, marketing, and store presentation strategies for $675M department stores, off-price stores, and online eCommerce businesses. • Led the training and culture changes to transform the Buying & Planning teams to an Off-price focus, a major part of Stage Stores’ transition to an Off-Price (OP) business model. • Expanded key supplier relationships to support the businesses and developed Divisional long-range plans and semi-annual business strategies to align merchandising with support area functions. • Trained and mentored Buyers, Merchandise Managers, and teams in negotiation methods for the OP model, faster decision-making, and new presentation tactics. • Achieved 25-33% faster inventory turnover and better use of assets. • Successfully converted 180 stores by mid-March, when CV-19 forced the closure of all stores, and subsequent Chapter 11. Show less



Gordmans

• United States
• Retail
• 700 & Above Employee

• SVP Chief Merchandising Officer

  • Apr 2017 - Sep 2018

  Gordmans was a chain of Midwestern off-price department stores founded in Omaha, Nebraska. Assigned to the Gordmans Store Division to re-launch as the Off-Price Division of Stage Stores, after Gordmans was acquired out of bankruptcy by Stage Stores in April 2017. • Developed comprehensive strategies and built a 60-member team of Buying and Planning Associates to execute merchandise, financial, marketing, and store presentation strategies for Gordmans 58 stores. • Led a training curriculum on negotiations, market strategies, and buying for value, newness, and scarcity. • Established important reverse logistics supplier relationships, gaining access to new product types and asset management. • Collaborated with internal stakeholders on Supply Chain, Logistics, Marketing, Financial, and Store Visual strategies to establish the new business model. • Grew store base to 158 stores, producing more than $350M in sales volume in 2019 achieving results that compelled the parent company Stage Stores to transition all 700 stores to the Off-Price model starting in 2020. Show less



Stage Stores

• United States
• Retail
• 700 & Above Employee

• SVP/GMM Home, Shoes, Accessories, Children's

  • Aug 2012 - Apr 2017

  Developed and executed merchandise, financial, marketing, and store strategies for $540M Family Footwear, Cosmetics/Fragrances, Accessories, Home & Gifts business in 800+ stores, and the eCommerce website Stage.com. • Led team of 87 Associates across Merchandising, Planning, Allocation, Marketing, and Store Visual, including five Direct Reports, with four VP / Divisional Merchandise Managers. • Developed and executed the Division Long Range Plan including the financial plan, and aligning brand structure, pricing architecture, inventory/space optimization, and store/capital projects. • Intensified focus on assortment & brand planning, product development, market trends, marketing & pricing, receipt optimization, and store presentation enhancements. • Merged and integrated two Merchant & Planning management teams, producing $3M in cost savings, and providing an important knowledge base for larger-scale integrations. • Built strategic growth partnerships with key brands/suppliers, i.e., Carters, Nike, Skechers, Estee Lauder. • Turned around under-performing Skechers brand, developing a three year growth plan spanning extra Marketing Direct Mail, an online campaign, and new in-store collateral and visuals, driving increased sales and resulting in the "Retail Partner of the Year in 2015" award. Show less



JCPenney

• United States
• Retail
• 700 & Above Employee

• GMM/SVP Children's Division

  • Apr 2008 - Jul 2012

  J. C. Penney Company, Inc. is an American department store chain with 840 locations in 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.Developed and executed merchandise, financial, and marketing strategies and plans for $2B Children's Division of JCP. Key member of the Leadership Council.• Established strategic multi-year growth partnerships with leading brands, i.e., Carters, Nike, and Disney.• Re-energized important Private Brands including Carters, Okie Dokie, and Arizona, in close collaboration with Sourcing and Brand Managers.• Increased the marketing and store presentation impacts of key National and Private Brands across all channels.• Drove increase in market share, surpassing Macy's, Children's Place, Gap, and other major retailers.• Grew the Carters business segment from $60M to $120M and increased Okie Dokie sales to more than $210M, both by the end of 2011.• Centralized the merchandising function, gaining efficiencies in buying costs, leveraging negotiating power with vendors, and eliminating redundancies, driving millions in cost savings, and fueling increased sales growth and growing JCP stock value from $9 in 2000 to $69 in 2006.• Coordinated with Product Development, Brand Management, and Merchant teams to re-launch Stafford, the largest JCP Private Brand, growing the sales to $600M in 2007, a 21+% growth rate. Show less

• DMM/DVP Men's Division

  • Apr 2001 - Mar 2008



Foleys Dept Store

• United States
• Retail

• DMM - Men's Division

  • Feb 1996 - Apr 2001

  Foley's was a chain of department stores owned by May Department Stores and headquartered in Downtown Houston, Texas. Dissolved in 2005. Managed Buyers and their buying teams to achieve the sales and gross margin plans for the Men's Tailored Separates, Young Men's, and Boy's departments. • Expanded the Denim Collections businesses with Polo Jeans, Tommy Denim, Guess, Calvin Klein, and brand extensions, growing the Denim Collections sales to #1 in the May Company group of stores, with 43% margins. • Added brand extensions, including Dockers Premium and Slates Dress Pants, to the classification areas to enhance values vs. Tailored Clothing. Show less