Rooney, Castella named to key home positions for JCPenney
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, May 7, 2007
Plano, Texas — Kevin Rooney has joined JCPenney as vice president of product development and design for hard home, which includes furniture.
Steve Castella has been elevated to vice president of product development and design for soft home at the retailer.
Rooney and Castella succeed Deb Evans, who left the company in January. Evans had supervised both the soft and hard home sides for JCPenney. The splitting of the position reflects the dramatic expansion of the retailer's product development activities, said Peter McGrath, executive vice president of private brands, product development and sourcing.
Rooney joins JCPenney from Target, where he spent 10 years, most recently as senior product manager, global sourcing. Earlier, he had been with The May Co.
Castella joined JCPenney in 2002 as senior product development manager for window coverings. He had previously been vice president of design for Guilford Home Fashions.
In 2006, Castella was promoted to director of design for soft home, part of a major expansion of the product development and design functions by JCPenney, which at the time brought on a number of designers in soft and hard home.
Both Castella and Rooney report to Ken Mangone, vice president and director of product development and design.
