Leadership Perspectives from Retail’s Front Lines

Amb. Lee Feinstein is President of McLarty Associates, an Ankura Company, and has been a member of MA’s Europe & Eurasia practice since 2013. Amb. Feinstein has held senior positions at the departments of State and Defense, including as Principal Deputy Director of the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff; in the office of the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security; and as U.S. Ambassador to Poland, where he negotiated the first continuous presence of U.S. forces in the country. Prior to his ambassadorship, Amb. Feinstein served on the Presidential Transition Team for President Obama and as Senior Fellow and Deputy Director of Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. From 2014 to 2022, Amb. Feinstein was founding dean of the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies at Indiana University, one of the nation’s five largest schools for global affairs and a national leader in the study of international affairs and strategic languages and cultures that shape the world. President Obama appointed Amb. Feinstein to the board of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (2016 – 2021). He currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Conscience at the USHMM’s Center for the Prevention of Genocide. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy, a trustee of Vassar College, and a board member of The International Center in Indianapolis.

William R. Hackney was named Executive Vice President, Merchandising, Marketing and Supply Chain in September 2023. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President, Merchandising, since rejoining AutoZone in October 2022 after a brief retirement. His initial career with AutoZone began in 1983, and he held several key management roles within the Company, including Senior Vice President, Merchandising, Vice President, Store Operations Support and Vice President, Merchandising.

Carson joined H-E-B in July 2017 as part of Supply Chain before transitioning to his current role, leading the Manufacturing, Warehouse and Transportation Division. Prior to H-E-B, Carson worked for Pella Corporation in Corporate and Plant Management roles for 10 years. Additionally, he worked for Target Corporation for 11 years leading their food supply chain and distribution.  Carson is a graduate of Coe College receiving his Accounting and Business Administration Degree. He received his MBA in Business Administration from Drake University.

Colin Yankee serves as Executive Vice President/Chief Supply Chain Officer for Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO). He is responsible for the end to end supply chain, including merchandise planning, inventory management, vendor operations, transportation and distribution operations. Colin has broad supply chain experience, previously serving as the Vice President of Logistics at Neiman Marcus and in a variety of roles at Target Corporation. Prior to joining Target, Colin was a Captain in the United States Army. Colin graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, earned a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management degree from Michigan State University, and advanced management certification from Columbia Business School.

Craig Jones is chief supply chain officer at On. As a customer-centric supply chain leader dedicated to meaningful transformation, he brings a strategic blend of financial acumen, data-driven insights and digital transformation expertise to build agile, resilient and customer-focused supply chain ecosystems. Jones has a deep understanding of end-to-end supply chain dynamics, having led several large-scale global operations that drive profitability and operational efficiencies. He is passionate about the power of real-time data analytics, AI and predictive modeling for improved forecasting and inventory optimization.

Denise Karkos currently serves as senior vice president, chief eCommerce officer at DICK’S Sporting Goods, a role she has held since joining the company in April 2023. In this role, Denise leads the eCommerce business’ growth trajectory to deliver a best-in-class athlete experience. Prior to joining DICK’S, Denise served as the CMO of Sirius XM and Pandora, where she was responsible for growing both brands’ subscribers and listeners. Before Sirius XM, she was CMO at TD Ameritrade, where she oversaw brand marketing, advertising, social media, content marketing and marketing analytics. Denise earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing from the University of Notre Dame.

Elliott Rodgers serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of Foot Locker, Inc. where he oversees supply chain, technology, procurement, customer contact centers, and Foot Locker’s Leading Education and Economic Development (LEED) Initiative. He has more than 20 years of executive experience in cross-functional leadership positions across technology, supply chain, ecommerce, and omnichannel operations. Most recently, he served in executive leadership roles at Ulta Beauty including Chief Information Officer and Chief Supply Chain Officer. Earlier in his career, he held operational leadership roles at Target, Citibank and the US Army. Elliott currently serves on the Board of Directors of Levi Strauss & Co. and After School Matters, a non-profit organization serving Chicago teens.

Eric S. Gould was named Senior Vice President, Supply Chain in February 2021. In 2017 he served as Vice President, Replenishment and Vice President, Commercial from 2013 to 2017, Vice President, Commercial Support from 2004 to 2013 and Vice President, Merchandising, Pricing and Analysis from 2003 to 2004. Mr. Gould began his AutoZone career in 1992 and held several key management positions within the company.

Gretchen McCarthy is executive vice president and chief supply chain and logistics officer for Target and a member of its leadership team. She oversees all functions of Target’s global supply chain and logistics network, including inventory management, replenishment, fulfillment, global transportation, logistics and distribution. Gretchen joined Target in 2004 and, during her tenure, has held multiple senior leadership positions spanning supply chain transformation, merchandise planning and buying. Most recently, Gretchen served as Target’s senior vice president of global inventory management, where she oversaw all inventory flow planning, purchasing, placement and technology within the company’s supply chain and across global operations. She has led teams in Canada and India; has served as a sponsor of the Supply Chain Diversity Action Council; and currently serves on the board of directors at Shipt. Gretchen holds a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.

Hal Lawton has served as President and CEO of Tractor Supply Company since January 2020 and is a member of the Company’s Board of Directors. Tractor Supply is the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, with nearly 2,400 stores, more than 50,000 team members, and a Fortune 500 ranking of 296. The Company’s Store Support Center is located in Brentwood, Tennessee. Since joining, Hal has guided the continued expansion of Tractor Supply and advanced the Life Out Here strategy to deliver long-term, sustainable growth. Before Tractor Supply, Hal held leadership roles across retail and e-commerce, including serving as President of Macy’s and Senior Vice President for eBay North America. Earlier in his career, he spent a decade at The Home Depot in merchandising and online leadership roles, and started his career as an associate principal at McKinsey and Company. Hal grew up in Kingsport, Tennessee, and holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Chemical Engineering and Pulp and Paper Science Technology from North Carolina State University and an MBA from the University of Virginia. He serves on the boards of Wayfair and Sealed Air, and is also a board member of the National Retail Federation and the Business Roundtable.

Mr. Bragg serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Supply Chain Officer, a position which he was promoted to in 2016 after 25 years with Tailored Brands. Mr. Bragg joined the Company in June 1991 and held positions of increasing responsibility in distribution, buying, and operations over the next decade before assuming the role of Vice President, Distribution in October 2005. From April 2007 to February 2011, Mr. Bragg served as SVP, Tuxedo Distribution. In March 2011, he was named Executive Vice President, Distribution. Since 2015, Mr. Bragg has served on the Executive Board of Advisors at project44, a leading supply chain visibility platform. Mr. Bragg sponsored the launch of Tailored Brands’ Vendor and Supplier Diversity initiative in 2021. Since 2023, he also has served on the Retail Advisory Board of Blue Yonder, an end-to-end enterprise resource planning and supply chain solution. In addition, he was appointed to the University of Houston’s Supply Chain and Logistics Technology Industry Advisory Board in 2023.

Jana Waln currently holds the position of Vice President of Transformation Operations for Coca-Cola's North America Supply Chain. With a rich background in multiple key business domains, she brings extensive expertise in customer service, distribution and transportation operations, and supply chain strategy. Additionally, Jana has successfully led numerous large-scale transformation projects. She has her bachelor’s degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from Georgia State University. Jana also actively contributes to the community by serving on the Board of Directors for the largest YMCA location in Atlanta, where she focuses on providing after-school programs for children from low-income families and those experiencing homelessness.

Kirsten Piacentini has served as L.L.Bean’s Chief Supply Chain Officer since June 2023, bringing decades of experience and leadership to the role. Kirsten began her journey with L.L.Bean in 1994 in information technology, and has been instrumental in shaping the company’s supply chain strategy. She earned her undergraduate degree at Smith College, and her Master’s from Loyola University. Kirsten serves as the President of Friends of Casco Bay.

Kristin Bauer serves as Senior Vice President, Supply Chain Officer joining Foot Locker in July 2023. Prior to joining Foot Locker Kristin held key leadership positions at TCG Player (recently acquired by eBay), TJX, Ulta Beauty, and Target Corp. She brings nearly 20 years of expertise across various critical business areas including supply chain strategy, distribution and transportation operations, sales and operations planning, vendor operations, and supply chain analytics. Additionally, as a former college basketball athlete Kristin deeply understands the culture of basketball and its connections to sneaker culture.

As executive vice president of supply chain, Margi Vagell is responsible for the company’s logistics, distribution centers, transportation and delivery services, and inventory replenishment and planning. She joined the company in 2009. Margi has 20 years of retail experience. Since joining Lowe's, she has served in various senior leadership roles, including senior vice president, supply chain; senior vice president & general merchandising manager for hardlines; senior vice president & general merchandising manager for home décor; senior vice president, store merchandising; vice president, CCO operations; vice president, pricing and promotions; vice president, enterprise analytics; senior director, value strategy and insights; director, product expansion; and director, online merchandising and marketing for Lowes.com. Before joining Lowe's, Margi was director, merchandise marketing, for eFashion Solutions, Inc., a turnkey ecommerce solution for fashion brands, and director, merchandising operations, for Victoria's Secret Direct. Margi earned a bachelor's degree in communication from the University of Oklahoma and completed the executive development program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She is vice chair of the Lowe’s Foundation and serves on the board of trustees for Queens University in Charlotte, N.C..

Mark Irvin is EVP, Chief Supply Chain officer for Best Buy Co. Inc. In this role, he oversees the strategy and day-to-day operations of Best Buy’s global supply chain that supports about 1,000 stores and Best Buy’s online customers. Mark’s responsibilities include order management, distribution centers, domestic and international transportation, global compliance, and trade, and final-mile fulfillment. Most recently, Mark served as Best Buy’s Chief Inclusion and Talent Officer, overseeing the company’s strategy for creating and sustaining an inclusive work environment for its 1000,000 employees. He has always had a passion for people and development of leaders, dating back to his time as a captain in the U.S. Army. Mark has spent most of his 30-year career in supply chain leadership. Prior to joining Best Buy in 2013, he held a variety of supply chain leadership roles at Target for 11 years, both in the field and at the corporate headquarters. He has also held leadership roles at Cummins Inc., Corporate Express Delivery Systems and Baxter Healthcare. Mark has a bachelor’s degree from Fisk University in Nashville and an MBA from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. He was commissioned through the ROTC program at Vanderbilt University and served in the U.S. Armed Forces for eight years in field medical logistics.

A man of vision who has a proven record of championship success, head coach Nick Saban returned the University of Alabama to the top of the college football landscape with his commitment to building the total program. After the victory over Ohio State in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Saban passed Paul “Bear” Bryant to become the only coach to win seven national titles in the poll era of college football. Saban’s uncompromising dedication to excellence in every phase of the program resulted in six national championships since 2009. A nine-time National Coach of the Year, Saban achieved resounding success as a head coach and earned a reputation as an outstanding tactician, leader, organizer, and motivator. Those qualities sparked impressive turnarounds at every stop of his career. Saban’s consistent approach and disciplined leadership are the reasons his teams are known for exhibiting grit, determination, and resilience, often overcoming adversity to achieve victory. The 2021 season proved to one of Saban’s best coaching jobs, taking a team that lost 10 players to the NFL Draft – including eight in the first 38 picks and six in the first round – and leading them to an SEC Championship. The 2021 squad also used a victory in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl to earn a spot in the 2022 CFP National Championship Game for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. The 2021 season saw the Crimson Tide win its eighth SEC Championship under Saban’s guidance with a dominating 41-24 win over No. 1 Georgia in Atlanta. The win earned Alabama it’s seventh College Football Playoff berth in eight years and a bid to the Cotton Bowl. The Tide dispatched of the Bearcats 27-6 in Dallas to advance to the National Championship where Georgia scored 20 fourth-quarter points for a come-from-behind 33-18 win in the CFP National Championship Game. Alabama finished with a 13-2 record and a No. 2 national ranking that included a 7-1 mark in SEC play. UA finished sixth nationally in scoring offense (39.9 ppg) and 18th in scoring defense (20.1 ppg) while ranking seventh in both total offense (488.2 ypg) and total defense (304.1 ypg). In his 28 seasons as a collegiate head coach, Saban compiled a 297-71-1 (.806) record, including a 206-29 (.877) mark in Tuscaloosa. His teams won 19 bowl/CFP games. Saban’s teams at Alabama have won nine SEC Championships while he has 11 SEC titles to his name (2001, 2003 at LSU) to go along with seven national championships (six at Alabama and one at LSU). Saban’s second season in Tuscaloosa in 2008, the Tide has played just three regular-season games in which it hasn’t been in contention for the national championship – the final three regular season games of the 2010 season – a staggering 163 of 166 games, while posting an astounding 176-19 (.903) record, including an 102-12 (.895) mark in regular season conference play. In Saban’s six national championship seasons at Alabama, his teams went 21-2 against top-10 opponents, and, since 2008, the Crimson Tide is 35-12 overall against top-10 teams. Alabama has also been ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Poll for at least one week for 14 straight years, which broke the record of seven established by Miami (1986-92). In 1998, during their time at Michigan State University, Nick and Terry Saban established Nick's Kids Foundation in honor of the late Nick Saban, Sr. Since then, the Sabans have maintained and supported their charity throughout their careers at Louisiana State University, the Miami Dolphins and at the University of Alabama. As the official charity of the Saban Family, Nick and Terry invest their time in hosting luncheons, golf tournaments, scrimmages, and other events to benefit the cause. They are also active in the annual Giveaway Luncheon, which serves to distribute grants to support children, family, teacher and student causes. Nick and Terry also recently started the Saban Center, which is a first-of-itskind STEAM campus where education, experience, and innovation meet. It includes community partners at TCT and IGNITE, formerly Children's Hands-On Museum, plus public-private educational partnerships spanning the state of Alabama. Saban Center will be a hub for education training, arts participation and academic support for teachers and families alike. A native of Monongah, W. Va., Saban is a 1973 graduate of Kent State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business. He earned a master’s degree in sports administration from Kent State in 1975.

Oliver is the CEO of Transcend, Tesco Groups Retail Solutions business.  He was the Strategy and Transformation Director at Tesco, one of the largest retailers in the world, recently reporting sales of £61.5bn, employing over 330,000 people and trading in five countries. Oliver has many years of experience in the Fulfilment, Distribution and Supply Chain space and his passion lies in the eCommerce aspect of customer fulfilment and in grocery more specifically – known for its huge complexities.  His customer first approach focusses on creating future-proof businesses, which balance automation with humans, and efficiency with safety and sustainability, and puts the customer experience ahead of everything.  Oliver played a leading role in Tesco’s Covid response, in which Tesco were able to double the size of their online business in just six weeks, responding to the crisis at pace, ensuring Tesco’s customers, especially their most vulnerable, had access to groceries. Oliver has previously held several leadership roles in Amazon in Fulfilment, Operations and Supply Chain.  He studied Economics and Business in Germany, his home country, and holds a PhD in Statistics. 

Rick DiMaio joined Ace in October 2022 as Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, to lead Ace’s distribution, RSC traffic, and Corporate engineering operations. Prior to joining Ace, Rick served as Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Operations at The ODP Corporation (formerly Office Depot), where he had worked since 2012 in various leadership positions. In this role, Rick was responsible for Transportation, International Operations, Call Center Operations, Inventory Management, Network Design and Strategy, Real Estate, and Forecasting. Earlier in his career, Rick served as Vice President of Logistics Operations and President of Sears Logistics Services at Sears Holdings, where he led a team of 300+ managers and an additional 5,500 hourly associates across 40 distribution centers while also leading Industrial Engineering, Construction, and Maintenance functions for the supply chain. Rick holds a bachelor’s degree in Management and an MBA from Roosevelt University.

Sean is the Senior Vice President of Supply Chain for DICK’S Sporting Goods. He previously led the global retail supply chain practice at Accenture/Kurt Salmon and spent 22 years in retail supply chain and store operations consulting. Sean is a United States Marine Corps veteran and a graduate of Villanova University and the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

Thomas serves as the Chief Supply Chain Officer at Meijer, where he oversees the company’s Supply Chain and Manufacturing Operations and Strategy. With three decades of leadership experience, he has held multiple supply chain roles at General Motors, Tractor Supply Company, and H-E-B before joining Meijer in 2015. Thomas earned his degree in Supply Chain Management from the University of Tennessee and throughout his career has led multiple functions including inventory management, industrial engineering, network design and optimization, and large-scale distribution and logistics operations. His expertise lies in building resilient, efficient supply chain networks that drive operational excellence and support long-term business growth.