Macy’s Home has a new person in charge, as the previous head of the unit moves to the online operation.
The promotion of Lisa Magann to executive vice president and GMM for home and the shift of Jeff Kantor to president, merchandising for Macys.com come as Helaine Suval, who has been executive vice president of merchandising for the dot-com unit, announced her plans to retire next spring.
Magann, who had been group vice president and DMM for housewares and confections since May 2009, becomes the fourth head of Macy’s home operation since it was consolidated in 2004. She follows Eric Salus, Tim Adams and now Kantor in that position, although the organizational structure has been changed over the years.
Magann, who has held a variety of home merchandising positions with both Macy’s and the former May Co., reports to Jeff Gennette, chief merchandising officer for Macy’s.
For Kantor, the move to the online unit represents a shift from home, where he has spent the last four years, including the past 14 months heading it up for Macy’s. During that time he has generally been credited by the trade for stabilizing the home organization and leading the execution of the company’s merchandising strategy.
Kantor too is a long-time Macy’s and May Co. veteran, although he also spent two years in the mid-1990s at TJX. In his new position, he reports to Peter Sachse, chairman of Macys.com.
Suval will take on new responsibilities for growth strategies within Macys.com before she officially retires in spring 2011. She joined the at-the-time nascent online unit in 2000 after stints at living.com, Avon, Bloomingdale’s and Bullock’s, and has been a key part of the Web growth at the retailer. She will report to Sachse as well.
Kantor, Magann and Suval all begin their new roles on Aug. 1.