Melissa Latham Email & Phone Number

Charleston, Sc, Us

Teaneck, Nj, Us

The Retail Marketing Society is a community of creative and innovative retail professionals shaping the industry’s future through powerful insights, engaging conversations and winning collaborations. I serve on the board to assist with monthly programming for the webinars as well as supporting the membership drive to continually introduce new talent to the organization.

Charleston, South Carolina, Us

Global Recruiters of Lowcountry is an Executive Search firm that specializes in "All Things Retail". Our mission is to create meaningful, long term and sustainable relationships with clients and candidates through our world class permanent placement expertise. We align exceptional talent with innovative, progressive companies whether start up or established organizations. We support and serve Digital, Brick & Mortar, Corporate and Field Leadership as well as Executive Search across the U.S. Our team are retail experts with hands on experience in the roles we serve...which sets us apart!

Kenosha, Wi, Us

•Direct report to Brand President with complete accountability of the North American retail organization•Key member of Jockey Executive team leading the creation of strategy and LRP for the brand•Directly lead all aspects of the retail organization including:Merchandising, Merchandise Planning and Allocation, Marketing, FP&A budgeting, HR, Store Operations, Communications, IT, Store design and Visual Merchandising,Real Estate, Portfolio management, Construction & Facilities Field Organization of 12 Field Leaders and 100 locations•Developed a 5-year strategic plan to expand retail into new and emerging channels •Designed and executed the first flagship store and first pop location in NYC while managing the full portfolio with national and independent developers•Refining store CX and marketing programs to create new customer acquisition and retention

Roanoke, In, Us

•Direct report to CEO with complete accountability of both Full Line and Factory P&L’s•Key member of Vera Bradley Executive Team including direct interaction with Board of Directors•Directly lead Retail Operations and Field leaders of 3 Directors, 11 District Managers, 160 stores $300M•Member of the Real Estate Committee, portfolio management •Drove innovation to develop a Frictionless Customer Experience through technology; focused on maintaining brand’s industry leading CSAT scores-Implemented Covey's "4 Disciplines of Execution" in both channels to improve sales performance•Lead promotional activity, marketing, consumer insights and product knowledge•Drove strategic initiatives that influence selling behaviors to drive sales/profitability •Dotted line accountability of Visual Merchandising in both channels and implementation of newest prototypes, relocations and remodels

Philadelphia, Pa, Us

•Direct report to CEO with complete accountability of stores and operations•Key member of Deb Shops Executive Team that influences direction, builds strategy and leads execution•Ensure overall management of day to day operations leading a VP of Store Operations and team•Directly lead VP of Operations, 4 Regional Directors, 32 District Managers, 300 stores $300M•Key member of Real Estate Committee •Supported relocations/remodels within while designing initial stages of a “store of the future”•Frequent and seamless interaction with Marketing, Visual Merchandising, Finance, Sales Analysis, IT,E-commerce, HR and Merchandising•Developed strategic partnership with merchant partners to better support the stores through promotional cadences and visual merchandising directives

Retail Group of America brings European fashion to the U.S. through major developers across the country. As the U.S. office of Alhokair, RGA franchises women's, men's, children's, fashions as well as accessories, cosmetics, food and beverage and entertainment.•Direct report to CEO with complete accountability of 10 brands’ sales, operations and inventory management•Brands included Jennyfer (Paris), Sgt. Major ( Paris), Promod ( Lille, FR), New Yorker ( Braunsweig, Germany), Ziddy (Portugal), Cortefiel (Madrid), Monsoon/Accessorize ( London)•Collaborated with developers across the northeast identifying leasing options for brands•Created partnership to solidify mutually beneficial financial, long term contracts•Traveled internationally to meet with the brands to establish relationships, negotiated contracts, understand operational structure including selling culture•Successfully responsible for all simultaneous store openings of multiple brands•Created a seamless RGA operating platform that will eventually support all brands, including IT•Directly lead Merchandising, Merchandise Planning and Allocation, Visual Merchandising, Store Operations with a dotted line to Real Estate and Marketing and Logistics•Directly lead 6 Brand Managers, 4 Brand Visual Managers, 4 Regional Managers, 75 stores $80M-

New York, Ny, Us

•Direct report to Brand President (dotted line report to CEO of Charming Shoppes) with complete accountability to all fiscal/P&L line items•Key member of Catherines executive team creating strategic initiatives for stores as well as Merchandising, Merchandise Planning and allocation, E-Commerce, Marketing and Finance to drive EBITDA•Highly proficient in sales planning, budgeting, management of PLCC, loyalty programs, inventory management focused on geography to maximize selling and marketing both direct and internal to attract new customers•Launched Catherines Outlets 2010 with 33 locations in top outlet centers nationwide•Directly lead Store Operations, 5 Directors, 36 District Managers, 489 stores $350M•Detailed experience in real estate portfolio management and growth

Mahwah, New Jersey, Us

•Direct report to Vice President of Stores•Lead 10 District Managers, 2 Area Managers, 116 stores, +$150M•Complete P&L accountability of comp store sales, store controllables and profitability•Directed influence on all corporate departments including Merchants, HR, Finance, Facilities and Store Ops•Lead regional real estate portfolio management and new store openings for the brand•Selected to drive corporate initiatives as lead RSD

Wilmington, De, Us

•Successfully lead numerous districts in NC focused on driving top line sales growth whiledeveloping talent and maximizing overall productivity•Promoted to a Regional Manage in Training role leading 50 stores $35M

Us

•Lead metro markets of 10 stores +$50M •Selected as high potential DM to develop the Staffing and Training Dept.•Accountable to recruiting, training, developing all management in 60 locations, +$250M

-lead various districts across the Carolinas-new store openings specialist -launched and developing new Training Store Manager initiative

SM promoted to Assistant District Manager

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Liberal Arts And Sciences/Liberal Studies

Associate Of Science (A.S.), Music Performance, General