Chicagoan to run local Macy's

Linda Piepho, the new Macy's North vice president who'll run the State Street store (left), greets an employee Tuesday at Macy's on State.
(Al Podgorski/Sun-Times)

Onetime Lord & Taylor exec assigned to former Field's

January 3, 2007

BY CHERYL V. JACKSON Business Reporter

Macy's has tapped a Chicago-bred retailing veteran to run the former Marshall Field's operations, including the State Street store.

Former Lord & Taylor executive Linda Piepho will become vice president of Macy's North's and store manager of the State Street location Feb. 9.

She'll replace Ralph Hughes, who is being promoted to the newly created Chicago-based post of regional vice president of corporate communication for Macy's parent Federated Department Stores Inc. Federated bought Marshall Field's stores in 2005 and converted them to the Macy's brand.

In the new job, Hughes will represent Federated and Macy's in the Chicago area through community and government relations, community giving and supplier diversity efforts.

Hughes said of the move, "It's designed to really strengthen our leadership team here in Chicago. Our business in Chicago is really important, and the transition is important. It's an opportunity for me to work more outside the store, and allow Linda to take on operations of the store internally."

The 24,000 Macy's employees whom long-time Chicago resident Piepho will oversee might want to know that her name is pronounced "pea-foe." At Lord & Taylor, she oversaw about 600 associates.

Piepho had been with Lord & Taylor for 23 years, starting as a sales associate, working a variety of management positions in Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis, and serving as vice president and general manager of Lord & Taylor at Water Tower Place. Most recently she held the same title at the Fifth Avenue store in New York.

As a college student, Piepho's mother worked part time at the Marshall Field's store on State Street, selling dolls and working in shopper services.

"I walked in the store and said, 'Oh, My God. How lucky am I to be coming home to run this facility?' " she said. "There's a huge affinity for the State Street location."

She attended Evanston Township High School, and in 1983 graduated from Carroll College in Wisconsin, where she studied education and communications.

Hughes has worked at Marshall Field's since 1992, serving as regional director of stores and store manager for various stores and divisions. He also was vice president and general manager for Federated's Rich's Atlanta, and vice president of merchandise management for the May Department Stores Co. in Florida.

Macy's operates in seven regional retail divisions, among them the Minneapolis-based Macy's North with its 63 stores, including 61 former Field's locations.

cjackson@suntimes.com