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There are thousands of women in the sales industry who occupy the C-suite. I just don’t believe we celebrate their success as much as we should. Clearly, it’s a woman thing; there is no way we can deny the astonishing contributions men have made, but indulge me for a bit -- if you can.
There’s Carol Meyrowitz at TJX. Meyrowitz is president and CEO of the off price retail powerhouse and she’s spent the previous two years assisting this Massachusetts-based company to out fox the recession. Her comprehending of the bargain hunting costomer is unequaled and she’s been a creative force behind innovation -- focusing on the need to educate shoppers and committed to keeping inventories fresh.
Trudy Sullivan stepped into what was arguably one of the hardest jobs in retail some years back -- saving the Talbot’s brand. If you’ve been watching the story as it unfolded, you began to wonder if she had a second career nobody knows about in the field of intensive care medicine. Sullivan was able to revive the brand without reinventing what it stands for; she’s focused her attention on what made this company successful for decades, and was able to infuse it with her one of a kind 21st century flair.
There’s Kay Krill at Ann Taylor, Jenna Lyons at J. Crew, Laura Sen at B.J. Wholesale Club and the list of women in retail luminaries goes on forever.
STORES recently looked at women's role on retail boards. To be frank, I believe there might be more women represented on the boards of directors at sales companies. What we learned was that, even though there is always room for improvement, the retail industry is ahead of most others in inviting women to be part of the board. Turns out women executives are being asked, they’re just not always able to oblige.
Taken that women make up about 70 percent of retail purchases in real, brick and mortar stores and about half of online purchases, it should not come as a big surprise that retail boards include women at rates far greater than those of companies in other sectors of the economy.
“Having board members that reflect the diversity and inclusion of our customers and our organization is very crucial,” says Jim Sluzewski, senior vice president of corporate communications and external affairs for Macy’s. “Keeping in mind that a keyity of our customers and associates are women, it’s crucial that we have women representing shareholders and guiding the business of the board.”
Almost half of the companies included in the study have boards that are at the very least 20 percent female, compared with only four that have no women on their boards (and it might be noted that one of those companies, Blockbuster, nominated a woman for election to its board in late May).
The study results don’t surprise Bobbie Lenga, who leads the worldwide consumer sector and the U.S. retail practice for Russell Reynolds Associates. Based in Chicago, Lenga focuses on sernior level searches for clients in retailing, apparel, fashion, manufacturing, consumer durables and luxury goods.