Moll Promoted to EVP, Merchandising Head at Stein Mart

NEW YORK – William Moll has been promoted to executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of Stein Mart, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based off-price specialty store.

Moll has been general merchandising manager of ladies’ ready-to-wear at Stein Mart since 2003. Earlier in his career he spent nearly two decades with Macy’s West and has also worked in manufacturing and capacities within the women’s wear field.

Concurrently, D. Hunt Hawkins has been promoted to executive vice president of operations. He had been senior vice president of human resources. Rebecca Steele has assumed his HR responsibilities as vice president of human resources. She will report to Hawkins, as will Michael Ray, senior vice president of store operations.

Reporting to Moll will be John Pennell and Kassie Jones, GMMs of men’s wear and home, respectively, and Roseann McLean, vice president of planning and allocation.

Stein Mart has initiated a search for Moll’s successor as GMM of ladies’ apparel.

Moll also will join Michael Fisher, president and chief executive officer of the store, Hawkins, Ray and James Delfs, senior vice president and chief financial officer, on Stein Mart’s executive management committee.

“These promotions broaden the management structure in line with our growth plan and are in keeping with our desire to have greater depth in our strategic ranks,” Fisher said in a press release. “I believe these new responsibilities will allow Hunt and Bill to build on the substantial contributions they have already made to Stein Mart.”

As of last month, Stein Mart operated 261 stores. Its 2005 sales were approximately $1.5 billion and sales in the first half of 2006 were down 2.3%, to $701.1 million, while same-store sales declined 3.1%.