Content about COO

ATLANTA — Aaron's, a lease-to-own retailer specializing in the sales and lease ownership of residential furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, has named David L. Buck as its new COO.
 
The company’s current COO, Ken Butler, 60, will retire May 1, after 39 years. Butler will also resign from the board of directors.
 

NEW YORK — A Monday report by Forbes said that former retail executive Mark Begelman has been charged with profiting off confidential information.

The SEC leveed insider trading charges against Begelman for allegedly using confidential information for his own gain, concerning the upcoming acquisition of Bluegreen Corp. by BFC Financial Corp. Begelman was COO for Office Depot, but left the company in 1995 to found Markee Recording and Rehearsal, a company geared toward musicians. 

OAK BROOK, Ill. — Toy manufacturer, Tomy International has promoted Gregory Kilrea to president and CEO and Masayuki Nagatake to COO. The board of directors of Tomy Company, Ltd. has approved these appointments as Curtis Stoelting resigns from his positions as CEO and director of TOMY Company, Ltd. to pursue other business opportunities. 

Kilrea has been with the company since 2004, having served most recently as president of Tomy International, and prior to that as the company's EVP and COO.

NEW YORK — Luxury fashion house J. Mendel has announced that Susan Sokol will step down as president and COO of the company, and will transition her duties over the coming weeks.

Sokol joined J. Mendel as president and COO in 2008. During her almost five year tenure at the company, Sokol was integral to the expansion of J. Mendel's ready-to-wear, which now accounts for 60% of its wholesale business, and to entering the brand into new international markets.

FOOTHILLS RANCH, Calif.  —  The Wet Seal Inc. on Friday announced that its COO is resigning as the struggling retailer initiates a corporate workforce reduction as part of a broader cost-saving initiative. In other moves, it will shutter two poor-performing Arden B stores.

The struggling chain, which also authorized a $25 million stock buyback program, said president and COO Ken Seipel resigned effective immediately. His position will not be filled. Instead, Seipel's duties will be shared between CEO John Goodman and CFO Steve Benrubi.

Footlocker COO Richard Johnson has joined the board of Maidenform Brands.

Johnson serves as EVP and COO at Footlocker, one of the nation’s leading retailers of athletic footwear, and has been with the company for 16 years.

"We are delighted to welcome Dick to our board of directors," said Maurice S. Reznik, Footlocker’s CEO. "Dick has demonstrated strong leadership at Foot Locker and his broad operating and international experience will serve Maidenform well."

DALLAS — Tuesday Morning has named John Rossler as EVP, COO, effective immediately. Rossler has been serving as an executive advisor to Tuesday Morning since October, 2012, and his focus has been primarily on operational efficiencies, including overall cost control, supply chain and real estate. His distinguished career in retail includes serving as president and CEO of DSW Inc. and Retail Ventures Inc.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer has appointed J. K. Symancyk as president, just one year after he was named COO for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer.

Meijer, a pioneer of the one-stop shopping concept, operates 199 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

Boston-based private equity firm Berkshire Partners named Staples president and COO Mike Miles to the role of advisory director.

Miles spent the past decade at Staples and his last day will be February 2, 2013. In his new capacity at Berkshire, Miles is tasked with sourcing new investment ideas and serving as an operating advisor to Berkshire’s portfolio of companies.

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Clorox Co. on Tuesday announced that COO Lawrence Peiros, 57, will retire from the company effective April 1, 2013.

Peiros, who joined Clorox in 1980 as a summer intern, was appointed a member of the company's executive committee in 1999 and then to the COO role in 2007. He also oversees the marketing, sales, research & development and product supply functions as well as Clorox's Eco office.

RICHARDSON, Texas — Fossil has named John White as EVP and COO effective Sept. 4. White will be responsible for the company's supply chain, distribution and warehousing, legal and information technology operations, with a focus on long-term strategy. He will report directly to Kosta Kartsotis, CEO.

"We are very excited to have John join our executive team. His track record of driving strategic improvements and operational excellence across large organizations will be invaluable to us as we continue our global expansion," said Kartsotis.