Nordstrom Adds Chief Innovation Officer
Nordstrom, Inc. has created a new executive team role, Chief Innovation Officer, and named long-time company leader Geevy Thomas to the position.
"Our new Chief Innovation Officer and his team will lead the most forward-looking customer-centric effort that Nordstrom has taken on to date," said Erik Nordstrom, co-president of Nordstrom. "Our business was founded and built over the years through our full-line stores, and today they still represent the largest portion of our sales volume. However, the way customers are choosing to shop in a more digitally-connected world continues to change, and we know we need to find ways for our stores to evolve with them. This is a challenge, but we also see a tremendous opportunity to leverage our stores in ways that will allow us to serve customers into the future better than anyone else."
"We're looking to answer big questions and to get there, we're giving our Nordstrom Innovation team the ability to move quickly and boldly to find solutions for the stores of tomorrow right out of the gate today," continued Nordstrom. "Creating a fully separate team will help remove restrictions or boundaries around what's possible for the Innovation team to test and try."
Thomas brings 34 years of experience in all areas of Nordstrom to this role, beginning as a salesperson and then moving into store, regional and buying management roles. He most recently served as the company's president of Nordstrom Rack.
With Thomas moving to his new role, the company also announced Karen McKibbin will assume the role of president, Nordstrom Rack. In this position she will support the company's 215 Nordstrom Rack stores, including operations, merchandising, strategy, finance and store planning, focused on continuing to serve more customers with speed and convenience, gain market share and grow the company's store presence in top retail centers around the country.
"Karen has been with Nordstrom for 30 years in a variety of roles and has always proven to be a leader who consistently delivers results, develops talent and innovates to deliver to our customers," said Blake Nordstrom. "She is the right person to take on our Rack business as it continues to evolve with the needs of our customers and we know she'll drive results and growth into its next chapter."
Prior to this new role, McKibbin was the company's first president of Nordstrom Canada. She was named to the role in 2012, leading the company's efforts to serve customers through its first international venture.
McKibbin began her Nordstrom career in 1985 as a stockperson. Over the years, her assignments have included salesperson, department manager, buyer and store manager. In 1999, she was named vice president, Los Angeles regional manager and has led three additional regions since then – the Northeast, where she pioneered the company's entry into the competitive Boston market; the South, where she supported the company's fastest-growing region; and Northern California and Hawaii, where she drove the company's strongest same-store sales growth in California.
"Our new Chief Innovation Officer and his team will lead the most forward-looking customer-centric effort that Nordstrom has taken on to date," said Erik Nordstrom, co-president of Nordstrom. "Our business was founded and built over the years through our full-line stores, and today they still represent the largest portion of our sales volume. However, the way customers are choosing to shop in a more digitally-connected world continues to change, and we know we need to find ways for our stores to evolve with them. This is a challenge, but we also see a tremendous opportunity to leverage our stores in ways that will allow us to serve customers into the future better than anyone else."
"We're looking to answer big questions and to get there, we're giving our Nordstrom Innovation team the ability to move quickly and boldly to find solutions for the stores of tomorrow right out of the gate today," continued Nordstrom. "Creating a fully separate team will help remove restrictions or boundaries around what's possible for the Innovation team to test and try."
Thomas brings 34 years of experience in all areas of Nordstrom to this role, beginning as a salesperson and then moving into store, regional and buying management roles. He most recently served as the company's president of Nordstrom Rack.
With Thomas moving to his new role, the company also announced Karen McKibbin will assume the role of president, Nordstrom Rack. In this position she will support the company's 215 Nordstrom Rack stores, including operations, merchandising, strategy, finance and store planning, focused on continuing to serve more customers with speed and convenience, gain market share and grow the company's store presence in top retail centers around the country.
"Karen has been with Nordstrom for 30 years in a variety of roles and has always proven to be a leader who consistently delivers results, develops talent and innovates to deliver to our customers," said Blake Nordstrom. "She is the right person to take on our Rack business as it continues to evolve with the needs of our customers and we know she'll drive results and growth into its next chapter."
Prior to this new role, McKibbin was the company's first president of Nordstrom Canada. She was named to the role in 2012, leading the company's efforts to serve customers through its first international venture.
McKibbin began her Nordstrom career in 1985 as a stockperson. Over the years, her assignments have included salesperson, department manager, buyer and store manager. In 1999, she was named vice president, Los Angeles regional manager and has led three additional regions since then – the Northeast, where she pioneered the company's entry into the competitive Boston market; the South, where she supported the company's fastest-growing region; and Northern California and Hawaii, where she drove the company's strongest same-store sales growth in California.