NRF Names Davis svp, Executive Director of NRF

Home Textiles Today Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 4/2/2012 2:00:00 AM

WASHINGTON - As part of its greater effort to restructure its education and research arm, the National Retail Federation has named Ellen Davis svp and executive director of the NRF Foundation.
     In this role, Davis is tasked with more closely aligning the Foundation with NRF's strategic plan, "taking the organization's multimillion-dollar Retail Means Jobs campaign to the next level by emphasizing retail's contributions to the economy and the diverse career opportunities available within the industry," NRF said.
     Additionally, she oversees a team managing NRF research projects, professional retail certification and training programs, initiatives to develop the next generation of retail leaders, and university partnerships. And Davis will continue to serve as a chief spokesperson for NRF on retail industry trends.
     "With her deep understanding of retail and consumer trends, her love of our industry, and her strategic communications background, Ellen is the perfect candidate to re-imagine the possibilities for our Foundation, bringing it more in line with the larger objectives of our organization," said NRF president and ceo Matthew Shay. "The decision to create a new vision for the NRF Foundation follows a year of significant financial investments by NRF to increase the power of our government relations and communications activities. Combined, these three priorities will ultimately provide NRF with a more robust, comprehensive platform to advocate on behalf of retailers."
     Davis joined NRF in 2002 as manager of media relations, continuing in positions of greater responsibility until being named vice president in 2008. During her tenure, she has led the team responsible for NRF consumer research and industry trends as well as NRF communication vehicles, including social media, NRF SmartBrief, and Retail's "Big" Blog.
     NRF described her as one of the organization's "most visible spokespeople," as she has appears regularly on broadcast programs including National Public Radio, CNN and CNBC, and in major print publications. Most recently, Davis played a key role in the implementation of NRF's Retail Means Jobs campaign, a strategic initiative that highlights the retail industry's role in job creation and innovation."