People on the Move: January 13
By Staff -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 1/13/2010 12:16:00 PM
Retail and home industry lender CIT Group named three new board members. CIT said it would appoint several new independent directors as part of a prepackaged bankruptcy filing in November. It emerged from bankruptcy in December. The naming of Gerald Rosenfeld, Anthony P. Terracciano and Laura S. Unger completes the reconstitution of its board. Rosenfeld is deputy chairman of Rothschild North America bank and previously served as its CEO for eight years, Terracciano chaired the board of SLM Corp., or “Sallie Mae,” and the Riggs Corp, while Unger is a consultant and a former commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. CIT also said board members Christopher H. Shays and Lois M. Van Deusen have resigned. The company's board now has 13 directors, seven of whom were appointed since CIT emerged from bankruptcy. The company is continuing to search for a replacement for Jeffrey M. Peek, chairman and CEO, who leaves CIT on January 15. The new CEO will also serve on the board. A Reuters article said CIT is considering John Thain, the former Merrill Lynch CEO.Home industry women's leadership network WithIt named its 2010 board of directors, including the appointment of Stephanie Lowder, president and creative director for Rare Bird Creative, as president. The board includes executive committee officers: Mary Frye, chairman of the board of governors, and president of Home Furnishings Independents Assn.; Liz O’Brien, chairman, and sales representative for Ekornes, Star International, Carter Furniture & Creative Accents; Stephanie Lowder, president, and president/creative director at Rare Bird Creative; Jana Platina Phipps, vice president/president elect, and owner of Home Couture Collective/Classical Elements; Mary Leigh Wallace, vice president, and vice president of RLF Communications; Debbie Beers, secretary, and vice president of consumer insights at Furniture Brands International; and Kira Staggers, treasurer, and manager of audit services at Smith Leonard PLLC. Vice presidents/committee chairs include Mary Eitel, marketing committee, and president of MKE Communications Inc.; Julie Smith Vincenti, media, and president of Nine Muses Media LLC; Lorri Kelley, mentoring, and vice president of sales at Palliser; Cathy Smith, education, and director of design and merchandising at De Leo Textiles; Maybelline Te, networking, and creative director at Snug Furniture LLC; Cindy Williams, membership, and vice president of retail strategy at Info Retail; and Cameron Cook, scholarship foundation, and public relations manager at Four Hands. Vice presidents at large include Beverly Kastel, casegoods/upholstery, and vice president of marketing at Ekornes; Karen Olson, showrooms/buildings, and vice president of marketing at Merchandise Mart Properties Inc.; Libby Langdon, suppliers, and president of Libby Interiors Inc.; and Shelley Parlin, retail, and COO at PROFITsystems. Regional vice presidents include Heather Brown, Atlanta/Southeast, and marketing/communications manager at Bluefish Home; Alexia Rouquette, Florida, and marketing/public relations manager at Twin Star International/Classical Flame; Kathleen Holterman, Virginias/Carolinas, and showroom/designer sales manager at French Heritage; Joan Franken, Chicago/Midwest, and owner of Concepts & Designs; and Catherine Smoak, international, and owner/creative director, Jigsaw Solutions.
Terry J. Lundgren, chairman, president and CEO of Macy’s Inc., will serve as chairman of board of directors of the National Retail Federation. Lundgren was elected during NRF's 99th Annual Convention and Expo in New York City. Lundgren succeeds Myron E. Ullman, III, chairman and CEO, J.C. Penney Company. Stephen I. Sadove, chairman and CEO, Saks Inc., was elected first vice chairman of NRF’s board of directors. Sadove succeeds Phillip L. Francis, executive chairman, PetSmart Inc. Kip Tindell, chairman and CEO of The Container Store, will serve as the second vice chairman of the board, as well as Chairman of NRF’s awards and nominations committee. Robert M. Benham, president and CEO of Balliet’s LLC, was elected as NRF’s new corporate secretary of the board. Roger N. Farah, president and COO, Polo Ralph Lauren Corp., was elected to serve as chairman of NRF’s finance committee. Each officer will serve a two-year term. Other executives elected to the board to serve three-year terms include Marty P. Albertson, chairman and CEO, Guitar Center Inc.; Daniel Lalonde, president and CEO, Louis Vuitton North America Inc. and Laurent Milchoir, CEO, Etam Group. In addition, two members join the board as representatives of the Associate Member Advisory Council: John Karonis, president, Consumer Group KSA and Lori Schafer, executive advisor, retail division, SAS Institute.
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