Cover Story: The Top Women in Cross-Channel Retailing

Ivy Chin, senior vice president 
of e-commerce, 
Belk
Ivy Chin joined Belk, the nation's largest privately owned mainline department store, as senior vice president of e-commerce in November 2009, overseeing the brand's e-commerce business. Chin led her team to exceed sales and margin plans with 70-plus percent growth in her first year. Prior to joining Belk, Chin was vice president, strategic and multimedia operations for QVC, responsible for the business technology and operations of QVC.com. During her tenure at QVC, the company's website grew from processing a few orders to surpassing $1 billion in annual sales.
* Tip: Be a good observer and listener to your customers. Respect how they want to shop and engage with your brand. Then be relentless in exceeding their expectations.

Maxine Clark, founder, chairman 
and chief executive bear, 
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Maxine Clark founded Build-A-Bear Workshop, a teddy-bear themed retail/entertainment experience, in 1997. Today there are more than 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, and franchise stores in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. In 2010, Build-A-Bear Workshop was named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list for the second year in a row. Maxine's first book, "The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart," was published in 2006.
* Tip: Connect with your customers. Your primary job is to make your customers feel special. Taking care of your customers will lead to many personal and financial rewards. You'll always win when customers smile.

Sheryl Clark, CEO and president, Boston Proper
Sheryl Clark is CEO and president of Boston Proper, a cross-channel retailer of high-end women's apparel and accessories. Clark is responsible 
for the overall growth and direction of the brand and oversees all aspects of business operations. With over 20 years of general management and merchandising experience working for major brands including Old Navy, Gap and Bloomingdale's, Clark brings her knowledge, 
insight and passion to all aspects of her position.
* Tip: Be passionate and committed to your vision, mission and values, as they're the 
foundations for your successful journey to being a multichannel retailer.

Jane Elfers, president and CEO, 
The Children's 
Place
Jane Elfers joined The Children's Place, a cross-channel retailer of children's apparel, as president and CEO in January 2010. Elfers is also a member 
of the company's board of 
directors. Prior to The Children's Place, Elfers held positions of increasing responsibility with Lord & Taylor, culminating in her appointment as president 
and CEO, a position she held 
for nine years. Elfers began her retail career at Macy's, rising to buyer.
* Tip: Deliver a consistent and compelling message across all marketing channels. Self-directed purchasing is where the customer is headed. Our job is to make sure they can shop our brand when and where they choose.

Wanda Gierhart, senior vice president and chief marketing 
officer, The Neiman Marcus Group
Wanda Gierhart is senior vice president and chief marketing officer for The Neiman Marcus Group (NMG), a cross-channel retailer of luxury and designer merchandise. Gierhart oversees all aspects of marketing and branding for NMG's prestigious portfolio of brands, specializing in creating a total customer experience across multiple channels with expertise in strategic planning, direct marketing, e-commerce, merchandising and retail management. Gierhart joined NMG in 2009. Previously, Gierhart served as president and CEO, TravelSmith Outfitters; executive vice president of merchandising and marketing, design within reach; and executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Limited Brands.
* Tip: To succeed in cross-channel marketing, it's imperative you adopt a centralized view of your customers' behavior across all channels. You need to be aware of how customers choose to engage with your brand. In order to have a centralized view of your brand from a marketing and creative standpoint, you need a single leader from marketing who can drive, optimize and create synergy between all channels, vehicles and new technologies.