JCPenney Direct leader Irvin to retire
Move coincides with merger of buying organizations
Carole Sloan -- Furniture Today, June 3, 2008
PLANO, Texas — John Irvin, 61, executive vice president of JCPenney and president of JCPenney Direct, is retiring effective June 3.
He joined the company since 2001 and is responsible for the catalog and Internet business. Under his direction, jcp.com is the company’s fastest growing shopping channel, with sales in excess of $1.3 billion.
Before joining Penney, Irvin was president and CEO of the former Spiegel’s, and earlier held executive position at retailers Mervyn’s, Maison Blanche, Sanger-Harris and Foley’s, as well as the Dallas Market Center.
Irvin’s retirement coincides with the merging of Penney retail stores and direct buying organizations, which began in April. The marketing, merchandising, buying and operations will be run as a single business.
John Kendig, vice president, hard lines for JCPenney Direct, now will focus on merchandising and marketing in the home division. He reports to Jeff Allison, executive vice president, and Mike Boylson, executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
