Sears Shakes Up Lands' End

Sears, Roebuck and Co. (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) has announced the promotion of Mindy Meads to president and ceo of its wholly owned subsidiary Lands' End, Inc. (Dodgeville, Wis.,), effective Feb. 1, 2004.

Meads, currently executive vp of merchandising and design for Lands' End and executive vp and gm of apparel for Sears, will continue in her Sears position and report to chairman and ceo Alan Lacy. She replaces Dave Dyer, who left Lands' End and Sears last year.

Lee Eisenberg, executive vp, chief creative and administrative officer, has decided to leave Lands' End at the end of March “to pursue personal and professional interests.”

Meads joined Lands' End in 1991 as vp, gmm. She has also held senior merchandising and operations positions at Macy's, The Limited and Gymboree Corp.

Meads has announced some changes in her Lands' End senior management team, which now includes: Dennis Honan, coo; Bill Bass, senior vp, e-commerce, Lands' End (as well as vp, gm, Sears Customer Direct); Lisa Fitzgerald, senior vp, merchandising (international, kids' and home); Sid Mashburn, senior vp, design; David McCreight, senior vp, core merchandising (women's, men's, specialty apparel and footwear); and Kelly Ritchie, senior vp, employee services.

Gwen Manto, formerly vice chairman and chief merchandising officer at Stein Mart (Jacksonville, Fla.), will replace Meads and report to Mark Cosby, Sears executive vp and president of full-line stores.