The NRF Foundation has named the 25 honorees who made it onto The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future for 2018.
Each will be celebrated during the NRF Foundation Gala on Jan. 14, which is expected to raise $2.5 million for NRF Foundation programs like student scholarships.
“An industry as dynamic as retail needs leaders with a range of talents from creatives to humanitarians to entrepreneurs,” NRF Foundation executive director Ellen Davis said. “Each person on The List embodies these qualities in some way and is helping to steer the retail industry toward a bright future.”
This year’s Visionary award goes to Walmart president and CEO Doug McMillon. Walmart has been on everyone’s lips of late thanks to the company’s bold moves toward transforming its brick-and-mortar focused business into a digital powerhouse fit to take on Amazon.
Other notables include the apparel executives who dominate the Power Players list, which recognizes fearless leaders. “Their forward-looking decisions have a ripple effect across the industry, but they’re not afraid to take risks or push boundaries,” according to NRF. Jane Elfers, president and CEO of The Children’s Place; James “JC” Curleigh, president of Levi’s Brand; and Greg Scott, CEO of New York & Co all made the cut.
Named among the disruptors is Adam Goldenberg, co-CEO of TechStyle Fashion Group, which has helped pioneer the membership-based fashion brand model with companies like ShoeDazzle and JustFab. TechStyle uses data analytics to provide personalized products and services to its members, which total more than 4.5 million.
Emily Weiss, founder and CEO of Glossier, is recognized in the same category for parlaying her beauty blog, Into the Gloss, into an avid consumer base for the resulting brand. By continuing the feeling of community on the brand’s site, Weiss provides an experience for her fans making them feel like a valued influencer for all of their favorite products.
Nineteenth Amendment Founders Gemma Sole & Amanda Curtis landed on the Influencers list thanks to their platform, which connects independent designers with consumers from around the world in a format that builds excitement by promising first access and reduced prices. The site promotes brand stories, whether its about aesthetics or ethics, and encourages social interaction.
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The full list of 2018 honorees is listed below:
Disruptors:
Jeff Barnett – CEO, Commerce Cloud, Salesforce
Adam Goldenberg – Co-CEO, TechStyle Fashion Group
Paul Hennessy – CEO, Vroom
Jeff Kearl – CEO, Stance
Chris McCann –President and CEO, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.
Emily Weiss – Founder and CEO, Glossier
Dreamers:
Isabelle and Katherine Adams – Co-CEOs, Paper For Water
Michael Lastoria – Co-Founder, CEO and Creative Director, &pizza
Carley Ochs – Founder, CEO and Designer, Bourbon and Boweties
Kate Ross LeBlanc – CEO and Co-Founder, Saje Natural Wellness
Givers:
Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale – Owner and Philanthropist, Gallery Furniture
Brittany Merrill Underwood – Founder and CEO, Akola Project
Karin Norington-Reaves – CEO, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership
Buddy Teaster – President and CEO, Soles4Souls
Hamdi Ulukaya – Founder, Chairman and CEO, Chobani
Influencers:
Matthew Boss – Managing Director, Equity Research, Consumer Discretionary/Retailing, J.P. Morgan
Amanda Curtis and Gemma Sole – Co-Founders, Nineteenth Amendment
Jonathan Sokoloff – Managing Partner, Leonard Green & Partners
Rob Sweeney – Global Head of Consumer and Retail Investment Banking, Goldman Sachs
Barbara Thau – Contributing Retail Writer, Forbes.com
Power Players:
Mary Campbell – Executive Vice President, Commerce Platforms, QVC, Inc.
James ‘JC’ Curleigh – President, Levi’s Brand
Jane Elfers – President and CEO, The Children’s Place, Inc.
Helena Foulkes – Executive Vice President, CVS Health, and President, CVS Pharmacy
Greg Scott – CEO, New York & Company