Macy’s Gennette Sets Retirement Date, Tony Spring Is His Successor

Jeff Gennette (60), CEO of Macy’s will retire at the end of the current fiscal year. Starting in February 2024, Tony Spring (58) will be president and CEO of Macy’s Inc. including Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and bluemercury. A search for Spring’s successor as Bloomingdale’s President, is under way. At the same time Adrian Mitchell, Macy’s CFO
CFO
, will take on the position as chief operating officer (COO) in addition to his current post.

The position of president has been vacant since 2019 when Hal Lawson became president and CEO of Tractor Supply
TSCO
Co. At this writing the position of chairman is vacant as of the end of the fiscal year.

Gennette will be working alongside Spring and Mitchell to insure a smooth transition. Spring was chosen after a thorough process, examining both internal and external candidates. Gennette, in WWD, characterized Spring as “a great innovator, brand builder, a great developer of talent and with storytelling skills and deep partnerships in the vendor community.”

WWD noted that the Bloomingdale’s division has been getting higher grades from shoppers than other department stores, primarily for quality luxury and contemporary offerings, crisp displays and an energized shopping experience abetted by associations with pop culture.”

A tribute of Gennette is under preparation, but I note here that during his time as CEO of Macy’s he remade much of the leadership of Macy’s. He has a good relationship with Spring.

Spring has spent his whole career at Bloomingdale’s. He has been chairman and CEO since February 2014. He joined Bloomindale’s in 1987 and he became chairman and CEO of the company in 2014. It is a fabled story – from executive trainee to CEO. Most recently Spring hired Denise Magid as chief merchant of Bloomingdale’s. Another development by Spring was Bloomies, a miniaturized Bloomingdale’s that featured many of the brands in urban areas.

POSTSCRIPT: The news is exciting. It is a big job for Tony Spring to reassure vendors, customers, investors, media, and the whole world that Macy’s will continue to grow, avoid missteps, and face the future with resolute steps. The company needed a change and a spirit to move ahead. We wish both Spring and Gennette good fortune in the years ahead.