Federated Department Stores, Inc. announced that Edwin J. Holman will become chairman and chief executive officer of its Atlanta-based Macy’s Central division, effective January 10, 2005.
Holman, 58, is returning to Federated after a 14-month hiatus during which he was chairman and chief executive officer of Galyan’s Trading Company, Inc. Prior to that, Holman served as president/chief operating officer of Bloomingdale’s from June 2000 to September 2003. He was president/chief operating officer of the company’s Rich’s/Lazarus/Goldsmith’s division from January 1999 to June 2000. (The latter division was renamed Macy’s Central when Federated announced plans to convert all of its regional department stores to the Macy’s nameplate early next year.)
Concurrent with Holman’s appointment, David L. Nichols, 63, announced his plans to retire effective June 2005 following a distinguished 42-year retail career. He will leave his post as president of Rich’s/Lazarus/Goldsmith’s-Macy’s in January, moving to Federated’s Cincinnati corporate headquarters to engage in special projects for six months. Nichols joined Federated in August 2000, having served as chairman and chief executive officer of Mercantile Stores prior to its acquisition by another retailer.
“We wish Dave Nichols well in his upcoming retirement, which I know he has been looking forward to for some time, and we are deeply grateful to him for the excellent job he has done for us,” said Terry J. Lundgren, Federated’s chairman and chief executive officer. “We also are delighted to welcome Ed Holman back as a member of the Federated family. In Ed’s previous tenure with us, he demonstrated strong management and organizational leadership skills that will be invaluable to Macy’s Central, and an important resource to all of Federated as we continue to expand the Macy’s brand.”
Holman, who will report to Federated Vice Chair Susan D. Kronick, will join with Michael G. Krauter, president and chief merchandising officer, in forming the two-person top management team at Macy’s Central. The division, with 2003 sales of more than $2 billion, operates 71 stores in nine southeastern and Midwestern states.
“Mike Krauter is an excellent merchant and manager who we believe will work well in partnership with Ed Holman,” Kronick said. “Together they will form an effective management team that we are confident will provide Macy’s Central with strong leadership direction in the years ahead.”
Holman began his department store career as operations manager of information systems at Macy’s former Midwest division in Kansas City in 1971, becoming control manager in 1973 and administrator of internal audit in 1974 prior to being named vice president and controller in 1976. He joined Neiman Marcus in Dallas in 1981 as vice president/controller, becoming senior vice president of operations in 1982.
In 1985, Holman moved to Carter Hawley Hale Stores in Los Angeles, advancing from senior vice president of operations to vice chairman and chief operating officer by 1993. The following year, Holman joined Woodward & Lothrop in Washington, D.C., where he served for two years as president and chief operating officer. Prior to joining Federated in 1999, Holman served for three years as chairman and chief executive officer of Petrie Retail, Inc.
A native of Kansas City, Holman is a graduate of Rockhurst University, from which he also earned a masters degree in business administration.
