Brian Cook to Retire from Brown Shoe Co.

Brian Cook, executive vp of Brown Shoe Co. (St. Louis) and the architect of the growth of Famous Footwear into a national chain of more than 900 stores, will retire next month on the occasion of his 62nd birthday. Cook will become a special assistant to the chairman and ceo of the company, Ron Fromm, a company statement said, providing strategic counsel.

While a search for Cook's replacement is underway, Fromm will assume day-to-day leadership of the division. Fromm spent 13 years at Famous Footwear, most recently as executive vp, before becoming president of Brown Shoe in 1998.

Cook joined Famous Footwear in 1963, as a part-time stock clerk while going to school at the University of Wisconsin. The retailer was, at the time, one store in Madison, Wis. By 1965, Cook was managing the company's first 10,000-square-foot store, and by 1969 at age 27, was made a vp with responsibility for buying most of the chain's footwear. In 1979, he was named president, and in 1981 he joined Brown Shoe when it acquired Famous Footwear. He was named executive vp of Brown Shoe in 1999.

“Brian Cook's contributions to Famous Footwear over the last 38 years have been immeasurable,” said Fromm. “Since he became President of Famous Footwear in 1979, he has overseen the growth of this top footwear chain from 35 stores to 907 in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Guam. The chain surpassed the $1 billion sales mark last year. He is probably the best retailer in the footwear industry.”

Brown Shoe, a $1.7 billion footwear company, operates the Famous Footwear and Naturalizer chains of footwear retail stores and markets leading brands including Naturalizer, LifeStride, Buster Brown and licensed brands including Dr. Scholl's, Barbie, and other kids'character footwear.