Sears Holdings Names Kevin Holt Retail Ops Chief

Former Meijer executive Kevin R. Holt is leading Sears Holdings Corp.'s newly formed retail operations business unit, one of five umbrella units the beleaguered retailer established earlier this year in a major reorganization.

Holt, 49, was named e.v.p./store operations late last month, Sears disclosed in a regulatory filing. In his new post at Sears, Holt will oversee about 3,400 stores in the U.S. operating under the banners Sears, Sears Grand, Sears Essential, Sears Hardware, Kmart and Great Indoors. K

mart and Sears senior executives Don Germano and Mike McCarthy will both report to Holt, who in turn reports to W. Bruce Johnson, who was named Sears Holdings' interim c.e.o./president in February.

Holt joined the Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Sears in September as s.v.p./chief effectiveness officer, in a post charged with "shaping the methods and processes" at the stores, according to press reports.

Aside from the retail operations business unit, Sears' corporate reorganization also created other business units under disparate umbrella groups, including: brands, real estate, support, online and store operations. It's a move that the company said is aimed at speeding decision-making and increasing accountability but that some analysts view as a precursor to asset sales.

Prior to joining Sears, Holt worked at Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer Inc. for 13 years, most recently as its e.v.p./retail operations.
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