Rack Room Shoes names chiefs of digital, merchandise

Dive Brief:

• As part of a strategic company realignment, Rack Room Shoes this week announced the promotions of two people on its leadership team, according to a news release.
• Chief Marketing Officer Molly Hartney, who has been with the company since 2021, has been promoted to the newly created role of chief digital officer. General Merchandise Manager Brian Burnett, who has been with the company for nearly nine years, has been named chief merchandise officer.
• Hartney and Burnett will continue to report to CEO Mark Lardie.

Dive Insight:

For privately held Rack Room Shoes, the need to innovate and continually evolve is critical to its success, according to leadership.

“These strategic leadership changes and organizational realignments are pivotal in our ongoing efforts to streamline operations and enhance alignment,” Lardie said in a statement. “Brian, with his deep understanding of consumer trends and merchandising excellence, and Molly, a creative marketing and digital innovator, are uniquely positioned to propel Rack Room Shoes forward.”

Hartney is now tasked with integrating Rack Room Shoes’ marketing with its digital sales and omnichannel strategies, in addition to her chief marketing officer responsibilities. With his promotion, Burnett will spearhead the brand’s product and merchandising strategies, with the logistics department reporting directly to him, per a company spokesperson.

“The footwear market has been tough over the past few years as customers have become pickier about footwear and more budget conscious,” Neil Saunders, GlobalData managing director said in an email. “A company like Rack Room Shoes not only needs to deliver great value but needs to be very forward thinking in terms of trends and fashions. The new appointments seem to speak to these needs as the leaders are focused on merchandising and customers.”

Rack Room Shoes celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022. The retailer acquired Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse in 2002, and has since grown to 520 retail locations, all but 45 of them under the Rack Room banner.