The two-day event kicked off at the Yale Club with the second annual Retail Innovator Awards, which honored 27 individual retailer executives who have inspired change through innovation. From there, the RTP team conducted numerous “Store Tours” around New York City. Retailers such as Birchbox, Duane Reade, Rebecca Minkoff and Warby Parker, were featured.
2. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 2
27 EXECUTIVES RECOGNIZED AT THE SECOND ANNUAL
RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS
By Debbie Hauss
In its second year, the Retail Innovator Awards is honoring 27 retail executives who are innovative
thinkers and business strategists. Awards were presented during a luncheon ceremony at The Yale
Club in New York City on June 16, 2015.
This year’s Retail Innovator Award winners rose to the top in a nomination process that produced more
than 60 qualified retail executive nominations. Each winner has contributed to their businesses and the
retail industry in unique ways, embracing the new disruptive forces in retail. Due to increased demand, we
already have opened nominations for the 2016 awards! Click here to nominate a deserving retail innovator.
The award recipients include (in alphabetical order):
• Nina Alexander-Hurst, VP of Customer Experience and SWAT, BaubleBar
• Leslie Anderson, Senior Director, Head of Field HR, Old Navy
• Richard Armour, Senior Director, Multi-Channel, GameStop
• Andrew Blackmon and Patrick Coyne, Co-Founders, The Black Tux
• Rick Braddock, Executive Chairman, Joinem
• Glenn Edelman, VP of E-Commerce, Wine Enthusiast
• Mike Edwards, VP of Merchandising, Brown Shoe/Famous Footwear
• Scott Emmons, Enterprise Architect and iLab Manager, Neiman Marcus
• Jason Goldberger, President, Target.com
• Melissa Gonzalez, Founder, The Lionesque Group
• Rose Hamilton, General Manager and CMO, Pet360
• Kenneth Himmel, President and CEO, Related Urban
• Kelly Loubet, Social Media Strategist, Origami Owl
• Rafeh Masood, VP of Customer Innovation Technology, Dick’s Sporting Goods
• Rebecca Minkoff, Founder, Rebecca Minkoff
• Dave Munson, Founder and President, Saddleback Leather
• Daniel Neukomm, CEO, La Jolla Group
• Anthony Paniszczyzn, VP of Sales and Operations, Staples
• Dave Powers, President, Deckers Outdoor
• Janet Schalk, EVP and CIO, Kohl’s
• Susan Soares, VP of Retail Operations, Alex and Ani
• Ken Silay, former Director, Technology Research & Innovation, Chico’s FAS
• Rob Taylor, COO, Journeys Group
• Lori Twomey, Chief Merchant, Zulily
• Steve Williams, CIO, Boot Barn
• David Zimmerman, Director of Independent Services Strategy, SUPERVALU
3. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 3
The Retail Innovator Awards was the first event of the Retail Innovation Conference, hosted by
Retail TouchPoints. Following the awards luncheon, groups of retail executives were treated to
exclusive store tours of some of the most innovative retail concepts in New York City.
The second day of the Retail Innovation Conference was held at Apella (at the Alexandria Center), and started
with a keynote from Ted Rubin, a Forbes Top 50 Power Influencer. The afternoon keynote featured Maureen
Mullen, Co-Founder and Head of Research & Advisory at L2, who outlined the top forces disrupting retail
today. Other presenters included retail analyst Adam Silverman from Forrester Research, as well as retail
executives from Neiman Marcus, Ralph Lauren, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Harry’s, Zappos and Alex and Ani.
Learn more at www.retailinnovationconference.com.
Read on to learn about each Retail Innovator Award winner’s success story.
4. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 4
LESLIE ANDERSON
Senior Director, Head of Field HR, Old Navy
• Leslie leads HR supporting more than 55,000
field employees in over 1,000 stores.
• Attracts, trains and develops the best talent
and offers paths to build a robust career with
the brand.
• Rolled out solutions to provide free online retail
training to applicants for store positions and
empower all associates.
SUSAN SOARES
VP of Retail Operations, Alex and Ani
• Susan pioneers new ways to use leading-edge
technology to: Enhance the in-store experience;
Engage customers in deeper and more meaningful
ways; and develop Alex and Ani’s field of retail
associates by capitalizing on their strengths.
• In partnership with Alex and Ani Institute,
she plays integral roles in the creation,
development and implementation of the
company’s training tools.
5. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 5
RICK BRADDOCK
Executive Chairman of the Board, Joinem
• Rick held executive roles at Citibank, Priceline.
com, FreshDirect.com and Mozido, a cloud-
based mobile payments and marketing company.
• Executive Chairman at Joinem LLC, a
community-powered digital retailer. Also
Executive Chairman of Zaycon Fresh.
• Serves on boards for The Aspen Institute,
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Cristo
Rey Network and is a member of the Council on
Foreign Relations.
NINA ALEXANDER-HURST
VP of Customer Experience and SWAT,
BaubleBar
• Nina is constantly working on creative ways
to build long-lasting customer relationships
and focuses on helping her team implement
effective systems around customer feedback
and experience.
• Previously, she was a successful entrepreneur
selling fashionable smartphone cases and
replacement BlackBerry parts, worked at NYC
non-profits and spent a year writing for the
Jerusalem Post.
6. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 6
ROSE HAMILTON
EVP, General Manager & Chief Marketing
Officer, Pet360, Inc. - a division of PetSmart
• Over four years, Rose has led Pet360 from a
pureplay e-Commerce business to an integrated
media and e-Commerce company.
• Integrated content, commerce and community
to build relationships with customers and
increase lifetime value.
• Developed an integrated media model to
monetize engagement.
SCOTT EMMONS
iLab Manager and Enterprise Architect,
Neiman Marcus
• Scott is focused on IS innovation for the Neiman
Marcus Group (NMG).
• Built the NMG innovation lab (iLab) and is
responsible for leading the organization in
evaluating, designing, testing and piloting
cutting-edge technologies and applications for
luxury retail.
• Also works on BYOD initiatives, Wi-Fi/LAN/
WAN infrastructure, mobility and digital
signage initiatives.
7. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 7
RAFEH MASOOD
VP of Customer Innovation Technology,
DICK’S Sporting Goods
• Rafeh drives omnichannel strategy by
implementing smart technology to elevate
thecustomer experience.
• Created a mobile app framework, designing a
platform that allows employees to check inventory,
process payment and troubleshoot quickly with
integrated video tutorials on each screen.
• Has helped DICK’S Sporting Goods increase
omnichannel sales, boost engagement and
brand loyalty.
DAVE MUNSON
CEO, Saddleback Leather Co.
• Dave was living in Mexico and teaching English,
in need of a bag to carry his books. He drew
a bag and asked a man in a leather shop if
he would make it. That grew into what is now
Saddleback Leather Co.
• Eventually Saddleback acquired the production
facility in Mexico. Saddleback bags bring
together classic designs with innovative touches.
• Opening first brick-and-mortar store in Texas.
8. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 8
LORI TWOMEY
Chief Merchant, Zulily
• Lori has helped zulily revive the flash sale
model, bringing thrill and discovery into the
online boutique shopping experience.
• Using a combination of branded events and
specially curated boutique events, she helps
make the zulily shopping experience fresh,
insightful and effective.
• She is the past, present and future driving force
behind zulily’s product assortment, strategy
of featured daily brands and events, and the
growing team of merchants.
KEN SILAY
Former Director, Technology Research
and Innovation, Chico’s
• Ken developed a prototype that drove the
customers back into Chico’s stores.
• He directed the initial 12 store implementation of
RFID for the Soma intimates brand, proving inventory
accuracy can be maintained at 95% or better.
• He also managed the infusion of new
technology into the first store opened by the
Boston Proper brand, including an enhanced
network, tech tables, digital signage and iPad
augmented selling.
9. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 9
RICHARD ARMOUR
Senior Director of Multi-Channel, Gamestop
• Richard has 10+ years of e-Commerce experience.
Prior to joining GameStop, he held a variety of
positions at various start-ups and Travelocity.
• Richard’s team is responsible for generating
sales and traffic on GameStop.com and the
mobile site, with a focus on online marketing,
visual merchandising, SEO/SEM, analytics,
promotion management, content, onsite search
and the affiliate program.
• Continues to evangelize advanced
omnnichannel personalization strategies and
expansion across GameStop sites and channels.
KELLY LOUBET
Senior Social Media Strategist, Origami Owl
• Kelly is an organic community growth specialist
who has been in the social media and blogging
space for nearly 10 years.
• She encourages her team to create conversation
with all casual commenters. The team now
actively attempts to get the commenter to
share what it is that they love about an item.
• Her work has been quoted in the book Power
Moms by Maria Bailey and Social Poetry by
Joel Comm.
10. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 10
DAVE POWERS
President, Deckers Brands
• Dave leads the company’s omnichannel
organization, as well as the entire brand
portfolio which includes: UGG®, Teva®, Sanuk®,
HOKA One One® and Ahnu®.
• Focused on accelerating growth through
a coordinated distribution, marketing and
merchandising approach, and business
development strategies.
• Responsible for prioritizing all strategic
initiatives and related investments aimed at
further expanding Deckers’ distribution footprint.
KENNETH HIMMEL
President and CEO, Related Urban
• Kenneth has spent 30 years developing
successful and iconic retail spaces worldwide,
especially for urban surroundings.
• Example of work includes NYC’s Time Warner
Center, West Palm Beach’s City Place, Boston’s
Copley Place and Chicago’s Water Tower Place.
• Current project: Hudson Yards, which will
feature 100 shops and restaurants, 14 acres of
public space, residential towers and more.
R. Webber Hudson of Related Urban accepted on behalf
of Kenneth Himmel.
Bryan Podgorny, Manager of Global Store Operations at
Deckers, accepted on behalf of Dave Powers.
11. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 11
MELISSA GONZALEZ
Founder, The Lionesque Group
• Melissa provides strategic consulting and best
practices, helping brands and retailers plan and
roll out pop-ups.
• Clients have included: J. Hilburn, Marc Jacobs,
Boohoo.com and Sole Society.
• Released book The Pop-Up Paradigm in
December 2014 to showcase the value of pop-
ups and reaffirm that they will be a permanent
fixture of a brand’s retail strategy and will
evolve to reflect emerging trends.
DANIEL NEUKOMM
CEO, La Jolla Group
• Daniel leverages one-to-one personalization
technology to enhance the experience for the
O’Neill and Metal Mulisha brands.
• Embraces data and machine learning algorithms
to create tailored experiences and provide
relevant search recommendations based on
individual behaviors.
• Both brands have seen a lift in conversions,
average order size and overall engagement.
Kurt Heinemann, CMO of Reflektion, accepted on behalf
of Daniel Neukomm.
Michael Cafarelli, Senior Project Management at The
Lionesque Group, accepted on behalf of Melissa Gonzalez.
12. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 12
REBECCA MINKOFF
Founder, Rebecca Minkoff
• Known for her chic yet edgy taste, Rebecca
Minkoff is considered to be an influential figure
in fashion.
• She creates mature pieces that are still youthful,
hip and stylish. She is extremely involved in the
fashion “blogosphere,” making her a favorite
amongst bloggers and blog readers alike.
• Interactive, digital store experience at Rebecca
Minkoff stores has moved her to the forefront of
retail innovation.
DAVID ZIMMERMAN
Director of Independent Services Strategy,
SUPERVALU
• David is responsible for leading the
development of business strategy around
professional services for independent grocers
within SUPERVALU’s Independent Sales &
Marketing group.
• Professional Services departments include
Pricing, Retail Technology, Shelf Management,
Retail Accounting and Advertising.
• Played an integral role in the conceptualization,
development, strategy and implementation of
the recently launched digital coupon program.
Ed Wogan, VP of Sales Development at Linkable
Networks, accepted on behalf of David Zimmerman.
Elissa Bromer, President at Rebecca Minkoff, accepted on
behalf of Rebecca Minkoff.
13. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 13
GLENN EDELMAN
VP of E-Commerce, Wine Enthusiast
• Glenn is responsible for the overall direct-to-consumer strategy for the wine
accessories and wine storage retailer.
• He oversees all the print and digital marketing for Wine Enthusiast, including
customer acquisition and retention as well as online merchandising and
theuser experience.
• He joined Wine Enthusiast in 2001 as a Catalog Circulation Manager, where
he oversaw the circulation of nearly 20 million direct-mail catalogs.
JANET SCHALK
EVP and CIO, Kohl’s
• Janet is responsible for leading Kohl’s information technology planning,
developmentand support.
• Her leadership has been instrumental in retooling the retailer’s IT foundation
and talent, allowing Kohl’s to leverage those platforms to create world-class
loyalty programs, a merchant toolkit and a seamless omnichannel experience.
• Previously, Janet served as SVP of Business Applications at Kohl’s.
ANDREW BLACKMON AND PATRICK COYNE
Co-Founders, The Black Tux
• Andrew Blackmon: Prior to founding The Black Tux, he built his foundation
intech startups.
• Patrick Coyne: He has a background in finance at Wells Fargo and The
NewYork Angels.
• Shortly after launching the business, The Black Tux had a waiting list of
approximately 30,000 customers. To date, the company has raised $15
million in funding.
JASON GOLDBERGER
President, Target.com and Mobile
• Jason joined Target in February 2013; became President of Target.com &
Mobile in December 2014.
• Responsible for overseeing Enterprise Item, Pricing and Promotions and alle-
Commerce operations for Target.
• Has spoken on Target’s constant focus on innovation, including omnichannel
fulfillment, curbside pickup and improved mobile experiences.
14. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 14
STEVE WILLIAMS
CIO, Boot Barn
• Steve helped Boot Barn integrate its retail operations, contributing to the
company’s growth and break-through financial performance.
• Focused on strategic acquisitions and successful integration, leading to
more engaged customers and a diverse assortment of goods and services.
• Prepared the retailer for its successful IPO in October 2014.
MIKE EDWARDS
VP of Merchandising, Famous Footwear/Brown Shoe Company
• Mike identified an opportunity at Famous Footwear to make significant
improvements in driving in-store conversion and turn by improving the
service levels at each location.
• Recognizing that the key to doing this was gaining a better understanding
of consumer demand at the item/size/width level in each store, he
implemented solutions that would apply these insights in a new way.
ANTHONY PANISZCZYZN
VP of Sales and Operations, Staples
• Tony has been with Staples for 21 years and currently runs sales and
operations for allU.S. stores.
• Previously, he served as the Director of Labor, Divisional Operations Manager
andGeneral Manager.
• Deployed a solution to enable his stores to hire more efficiently by getting
pre-trained employees on demand.
ROBERT D. TAYLOR
COO, Journeys Group
• Throughout his career, Rob has been focused on the growth of the Journeys
business and has helped create a winning culture that is anchored in service
and execution.
• His focus is on improving systems, processes, policies and procedures to help create
value for Journeys employees, customers, vendor partners and shareholders.
• Drove a partnership with Vans called the “Customer Culture art competition”, in
which high school art students around the country are invited to create the most
artistic designs on a pair of blank Vans shoes. Journeys will provide a $15,000 “Local
Attitude” award to the school that creates the most compelling “local flavor” design.
15. 2015 RETAIL INNOVATOR AWARDS | 15
ABOUT RETAIL TOUCHPOINTS
Retail TouchPoints is an online publishing network for retail
executives, with content focused on optimizing the customer
experience across all channels. The Retail TouchPoints network is
comprised of a weekly newsletter, special reports, web seminars,
exclusive benchmark research, an insightful editorial blog, and a
content-rich web site featuring daily news updates and multi-media
interviews at www.retailtouchpoints.com. The Retail TouchPoints
team also interacts with social media communities via Facebook,
Twitter and LinkedIn.
411 State Route 17 South
Suite 410
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604
P: 201.257.8528
F: 201.426.0181
info@retailtouchpoints.com
Retail TouchPoints also honors retail companies during the year,
through other awards programs:
Social Media Maven
Awards
Store Operations
Superstar Awards
Customer Engagement
Awards