Berglass + Associates
Success Stories
A few of the placements we’re proudest of:
Client: Victoria’s Secret Group
Position: CEO
Placement: Sharen Turney (former CEO, Neiman Marcus Direct)
Client: Bill Blass New York
Position: CEO
Placement: Ann Acierno (former President, New Business Development, Tommy Hilfiger)
Client: St. John Knits
Position: CEO
Placement: Glenn McMahon (former President, Dolce & Gabbana U.S.)
Client: Lord & Taylor
Position: CEO, Creative Design Studios
Placement: Susan Davidson (former Group President, Liz Claiborne)
Client: Tabi International
Position: CEO
Placement: Andrea Weiss (former President, dELIA*s)
Client: Bluefly.com
Position: CEO
Placement: Melissa Payner (former CEO, Spiegel)
Client: Henri Bendel
Position: CEO
Placement: Ed Bucciarelli (former Group President, Liz Claiborne)
Client: Crunch Fitness
Position: CEO
Placement: Tim Miller (former EVP, Morgans Hotel Group)
Client: Chuy’s Comida Deluxe
Position: CEO
Placement: Steve Hislop (former Concept President, O’Charley’s)
Client: ChemAid
Position: CEO
Placement: Eric Bauer (former President, Valois of America Inc.)
Client: Limited Brands
Position: President, CEO, Beauty
Placement: Robin Burns (former President, Estee Lauder)
Client: Coach
Position: President, COO
Placement: Keith Monda (former CFO, Timberland)
Client: Bath & Body Works
Position: President, COO
Placement: Diane Neal (former, President, Gap Outlet)
Client: Build-A-Bear
Position: President, COO
Placement: Barry Erdos (former COO, Ann Taylor)
Client: Swoozie's
Position: COO
Placement: Richard Gibson (former CFO, Orchard Supply Hardware)
Client: White House Black Market
Position: President
Placement: Donna Noce (former President, Ann Taylor LOFT)
Client: Martin & Osa
Position: President
Placement: Laura Dubin Wander (former President, Dana Buchman)
Client: Goody’s Family Clothing
Position: President
Placement: Mary Kwan (former SVP, Merchandising and Design, Quicksilver)
Client: Sugoi
Position: President
Placement: Stan Mavis (former SVP, Product, Brooks Sports)
Client: Outlast
Position: President
Placement: Pat Gruber (former VP, Chief Technology Officer, Cargill Dow)
Client: Bootlegger
Position: President
Placement: Chris Phillips (former VP, Merchandising, Old Navy)
Client: Zac Posen
Position: President
Placement: Barry Miguel (former Global Brand Director, Z Zegna, Ermenegildo Zegna Corp.)
Client: Pacific Sunwear
Position: President
Placement: Tom Kennedy (former VP, Global Lifestyle Apparel, Nike)
Client: Hallmark
Position: President, Retail
Placement: Jim Boike (former COO, Williams-Sonoma)
Client: The Children’s Place
Position: President
Placement: Neal Goldberg (former President, Gap Outlet)
Client: The Good Bed
Position: President
Placement: Rob Casey (former SVP, Licensed Brands, Henredon Furniture Industries)
Client: Limited Design Services
Position: President, Product Development
Placement: Marie Holman-Rao (former President, Banana Republic)
Client: Sears Holdings
Position: President, Apparel
Placement: Craig Israel (former President and CEO, Robinson's May/Meier & Frank)
Client: Nautica
Position: President, Retail
Placement: Rich Anders (former President, Retail, J. Crew)
Client: Fossil
Position: President, Retail
Placement: Jennifer Pritchard (former President, Arden b)
Client: Yankee Candle
Position: President, Retail
Placement: Stephen Farley (former EVP, Merchandising & Marketing, The Bombay Company)
Client: Kenneth Cole
Position: Board Member
Placement: Philip Miller (former CEO, Saks Fifth Avenue)
Client: Applied Tech Products
Position: Board Member
Placement: Joe Ferreira (former COO, Avon)
Client: Limited Brands
Position: CAO
Placement: Martyn Redgrave (former CFO, Carlson Companies)
Client: Me & Ro
Position: COO
Placement: Rachel Barnett (former SVP, Financial & Business Development, Tommy Hilfiger)
Client: Ollie’s Bargain Outlet
Position: COO
Placement: David Campbell (former Regional Vice President, Office Depot)
Client: Crunch Fitness
Position: CFO
Placement: Michael Jacobs (former COO, B. R. Guest)
Client: Chrysallis
Position: CFO
Placement: Brad Schneider (former CFO, Papyrus)
Client: Luxury Optical Holdings
Position: CFO
Placement: Michael Brown (former Chief Accounting Officer, Americold Logistics Inc.)
Client: Ollie’s Bargain Outlet
Position: CFO
Placement: John Swygert (former VP, Finance & Planning, Factory 2-U Stores)
Client: Royal Wine Corporation
Position: CFO
Placement: Sheldon Ginsberg (former CFO, Fabrikant)
Client: Urban Brands
Position: CFO
Placement: Anita Britt (former EVP, Finance, Jones Apparel Group)
Client: Fantastic Sams
Position: CFO
Placement: Brian Sheehan (former VP, Finance, Casual Male Retail Group)
Client: Spyder Active Sports
Position: CFO, EVP Administration
Placement: John Barron (former CFO, Cole Haan)
Client: Limited Brands
Position: CFO, Real Estate & Construction
Placement: Jennie Wilson (former CFO, Allied Domeq, USA)
Client: Value City Furniture
Position: Chief People Officer
Placement: Fred Newton (former CAO, Cinergy Corp.)
Client: Wet Seal
Position: Chief Merchandising Officer
Placement: Dyan Jozwick (former SVP/GMM, Robinsons-May)
Client: American Eagle Outfitters
Position: SVP, Chief Merchandising Officer, Aerie
Placement: Betsy Schumacher (former VP, BabyGap and Gap Maternity)
Client: Coach
Position: SVP, Merchandising
Placement: Pat Malone (former President and COO, Christian Dior, Inc.)
Client: Chrysallis
Position: Chief Marketing Officer
Placement: Jill Scalamandre (former SVP, Marketing, Avon)
Client: Value City Furniture
Position: Chief Marketing Officer
Placement: Lee Applbaum (former CMO - The Bridal Group, Federated Department Stores)
Client: Bath & Body Works
Position: Chief Marketing Officer
Placement: Anne Martin (former VP, Global Cosmetics and Marketing, Procter & Gamble)
Client: American Eagle Outfitters
Position: Chief Marketing Officer
Placement: Kathy Savitt (former VP, Strategic Communications/Brand Experience, Amazon.com)
Client: Payless
Position: Chief Marketing Officer
Placement: Eran Cohen (former Director, Marketing, Gap Inc.)
Client: Limited Brands
Position: Chief Stores Officer
Placement: Mark Giresi (former SVP, U.S. Franchise Operations, Burger King)
Client: Value City Furniture
Position: Chief Operating Officer
Placement: Brian Priddy (former President, Hibbett Sports)
Client: American Eagle Outfitters
Position: EVP, Human Resources
Placement: Tom DiDonato (former Chief People Officer, H.J. Heinz Company)
Client: Talbots
Position: EVP, Chief Supply Chain Officer
Placement: Greg Poole (former SVP, Chief Procurement Officer, Ann Taylor)
Client: New York & Company
Position: EVP and General Manager, Direct
Placement: Donna Iucolano (former CEO, North America, IMP/International Masters Publishers)
Client: GNC
Position: SVP, Human Resources
Placement: Bob Chessen (former VP, Human Resources, Charming Shoppes)
Client: Sears Holdings
Position: General Manager, Women's, Kmart
Placement: Stephen Donnelly (former SVP, General Manager, Tommy Hilfiger)
Client: Hastens Sangar
Position: Managing Director, The Americas
Placement: Scott Link (former VP, Retail, French Connection)
Client: Target Corporation
Position: VP, Product Design and Development
Placement: Michael Alexin (former SVP, Design and Product Development, Eddie Bauer)
Client: Sears Holdings
Position: VP, Home Design
Placement: Theresa Strickland (former EVP, Merchandising, Planning & Allocation, Cost Plus)
Client: American Eagle Outfitters
Position: GMM, Women's
Placement: Amy Kocourek (former VP, Old Navy Kid's)
Client: American Eagle Outfitters
Position: GMM, Men's
Placement: Matthew Hilgeman (former Director, Merchandising, Men's Lifestyle, Levi Strauss)
Client: Sears Holdings
Position: DVP, Soft Home
Placement: Sharyn Hejcl (former VP/GMM, Marketing - Visual Presentation, Kirkland's)
Client: Sears Holdings
Position: DVP, Kids Apparel
Placement: Ellen Shamaskin (former GMM, OshKosh, The William Carter Company)
Client: DSW
Position: DMM, Handbags & Accessories
Placement: Ramin Mozafari (former VP/Merchandise Manager, Accessories, Handbags, Jewelry and Watches, Macy's)
Sharen Turney (CEO, Victoria's Secret Group)
Victoria’s Secret is a powerhouse brand. It owns the intimate apparel category. And though it looks like one brand to the consumer, it’s really three – a retail chain, a presence in the beauty category, and a legendary catalog. Several years ago, Berglass+Associates was asked to find a new leader for the Victoria’s Secret catalog. We knew they needed a visionary, an experienced fashion merchant and someone with phenomenal experience in direct marketing – Victoria’s Secret was, after all, the largest intimate apparel catalog in the world. We focused on one name: Sharen Turney, who at the time was leading the entire direct business for Neiman Marcus.
But that was just the beginning. Sharen not only strengthened the catalog, she helped return the brand to a unified image. Her success was recognized, and in 2006, Sharen was promoted to CEO of Victoria’s Secret Group in charge of the entire Victoria’s Secret brand. It was the first time in the company’s history that the chairman put the brand in the hands of one person.
Keith Monda (President, Coach)
Berglass+Associates placed Keith Monda at Coach in 1999, as COO. At the time, Coach’s sales and profits had slowed and the parent company, Sara Lee, was disappointed with the brand. Keith improved their operations and created a platform for the company to focus on the front end of the business. Keith continued to serve as a superb operations leader, and was eventually promoted to president. He helped lead an IPO that was the envy of the consumer goods industry. And he recently told us that since the IPO, stock has increased 2,000% in value.
Michael Alexin (SVP, Product Design, Target Corporation)
The incredible style impact of Target is a familiar story, as is their spectacular success. Of all mass-volume retailers, Target has been the most successful in giving its customers real, on-trend fashion merchandise. And the placement Berglass+Associates made, Michael Alexin, is at the center of that success as their first true design director. Not only did Michael have to create product the consumer desired, he also had to create the structure and engender understanding in a company that was accustomed to buying market goods. If you’re walking through Target and can’t get over how special and appealing the merchandise looks, think of Michael Alexin.
Diane Neal (CEO, Bath & Body Works)
Bath & Body Works had grown into the largest retailer in the beauty/toiletries space when Limited Brands decided it needed to strengthen leadership in this key division. Bath & Body Works had become many brands: there was the Bath & Body Works line, Bigelow, White Barn Candle, Harry Slatkin and Pat Wexler. Berglass+Associates needed to locate a merchant leader who could also support then-CEO Neil Fiske on the operating side of the business. We focused on Diane Neal, who at the time was CEO of Gap Outlet. Her previous experience at the Target Corporation as president of Mervyn’s was an asset as well. Within a year, Neil Fiske left to take the lead position at Eddie Bauer. Diane was chosen to replace him, and today she is CEO.
Melissa Payner (CEO, Bluefly.com)
A few years ago, Berglass+Associates was retained by Bluefly.com to find a president to support their founder and CEO. The Soros organization had invested millions of dollars in Bluefly.com, and although it was one of the few internet-only brands still alive, it wasn’t meeting its potential. We convinced Melissa Payner, the former president and CEO of the Spiegel catalog, an $800 million company, to join this struggling brand. In just over two years, Melissa brought structure and growth to Bluefly.com, making the company attractive to additional investment partners. Melissa was promoted to CEO in 2004.
Management Team (American Eagle)
Berglass+Associates is proud to be part of the remarkable success that American Eagle has achieved. We placed Betsy Schumacher as the GMM of the Intimate Apparel and Personal Care division. She built and was recently promoted to lead what is now the stand alone intimate apparel concept, Aerie. And because the company’s management is willing to hire from outside the industry, we were able to attract and place a powerful marketer in Kathy Savitt, the former VP of Strategic Communications/Brand Experience at Amazon.com. Kathy started as the EVP, CMO at American Eagle, and was recently promoted to head of marketing for the entire company. The company’s CEO, Jim O’Donnell, wanted to bring in a head of Human Resources with “big/brand” consumer packaged goods experience. We recruited and placed Tom DiDonato, the former Chief People Officer at H.J.Heinz. Tom has done an incredible job, not only as head of HR, but also as a partner to Jim.