Nordstrom to Replace CIO

Slumping sales growth has prompted Nordstrom Inc. to replace several key executives, including its first CIO, who departed this week after just seven months on the job.

A spokeswoman for the venerable Seattle-based retailer said the company could announce a replacement for exiting CIO Richard Lennon as early as this week. Lennon joined Nordstrom in February after leaving Louisville, Ky.-based BrownForman Corp.

"We felt we needed a change in the leadership to move forward on our technology initiatives," said Nordstrom spokeswoman Paula Weigand, noting that the company is improving its replenishment and inventory management systems.

Like many retailers, Nordstrom faces significant challenges as it re-evaluates and upgrades its information technology systems, said Carol Ferrara, a retail analyst at Stamford, Conn.-based Gartner Group Inc. Regarding the Nordstrom CIO's departure, Ferrara said cultural issues and organizational adjustments sometimes make it "difficult for the CIOs to become effective and integrated" into family-owned businesses.

"It's interesting, especially in retail, to see the kind of knee-jerk reaction to a bad quarter," Ferrara said.

Bruce Nordstrom, 66, came out of retirement to take over as board chairman when John Whitacre resigned last month. Blake Nordstrom is the new president, and Pete Nordstrom heads the full-line store group, replacing Marty Wikstrom.

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