Target marketing chief new JCP president

HTT Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 10/3/2011 2:25:32 PM

Plano, Texas - Michael Francis, previously Target's chief marketing officer, will become JCPenney's new president, effective tomorrow.

He will report directly to incoming ceo Ron Johnson, who developed and helmed Apple's retail division.
Francis has spent most of his 25-year retail career at Target. At Penney, he will oversee merchandising, marketing, planning, allocation, product development and sourcing. Johnson said Francis's "ability to innovate and deep understanding of the industry will be invaluable as we set out to transform jcpenney into America's favorite store."

Said Francis: "I began my career working on the sales floor of the State Street Marshall Field's in Chicago. It was there where my passion for retail began and my understanding of the power and potential of the department store was formed. I am delighted to join jcpenney and work with Ron and the talented jcpenney team to help accelerate the momentum already taking place."

He joined Field's in 1986 as an executive trainee, then joined Dayton-Hudson Corporation in 1990, when it acquired Marshall Field's, holding a variety of senior marketing positions in the department store division. He was promoted to executive vice president of Target Corporation in 2001 and chief marketing officer in August 2008. In January 2011, he became the executive committee sponsor for Target Canada, a role in which he oversaw Target's expansion beyond the United States.