Gene Kahn resigned as chairman and ceo of The May Department Stores Co. (St. Louis) on Friday. The retailer offered no explanation for Kahn's departure, which was effective immediately.
John Dunham has been named acting chairman and ceo, along with his current duties as president. The company's board has created a search committee, headed by director James Kilts, to find a new ceo.
Kahn joined the retailer in 1990. Last year, he oversaw May's $3.2 billion acquisition of the Marshall Field's department store chain. May has posted weak sales during the past several years, including the recently concluded holiday sales season.
May operates department stores under the names of Famous-Barr, Filene's, Foley's, Hecht's, Kaufmann's, Lord & Taylor, L.S. Ayres, Marshall Field's, Meier & Frank, Robinsons-May, Strawbridge's and The Jones Store, as well as David's Bridal, After Hours Formalwear and Priscilla of Boston in its Bridal Group.