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Lowe’s has hired a second high-profile J.C. Penney executive, just two months after successfully recruiting the department store chain’s CEO.
On July 20, Lowe’s named Joseph M. McFarland III as executive vice president of stores, effective Aug. 15. He will oversee Lowe’s north, south and west divisions, Orchard Supply Hardware chain, pro and services businesses, operations engineering and asset protection.
Like Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s new president and CEO, McFarland most recently served in an executive leadership role at J.C. Penney and, prior to that, worked for Home Depot. He will report to Ellison, who took the helm at Lowe’s in July after leading J.C. Penney as its top executive for three years.
McFarland comes to Lowe’s shortly after the company announced a change to its executive leadership structure that involved eliminating the positions of chief operating officer, chief customer officer, corporate administration executive and chief development officer.
McFarland was executive vice president and chief customer officer at J.C. Penney, where he oversaw the company’s stores, operations and merchandise strategies, according to Lowe’s. Previously, he worked for 22 years at Home Depot.
“Joe is a strategic, results-oriented retail executive who excels at achieving operational excellence, financial management and brand positioning to deliver top and bottom line results,” Ellison says. “Importantly, he is an exceptional leader with a proven record of driving sales and implementing omnichannel initiatives on a large scale.”
While working for more than two decades at Home Depot, McFarland served in roles including president of the northern and western divisions from 2007 to 2015 and regional vice president, New York metro region, from 2005 to 2007.
“I have long admired Lowe’s and the dedicated associates who serve customers in a competitive omnichannel environment,” McFarland says. “I look forward to working closely with Marvin and Lowe’s outstanding associates as we optimize store operations, further the company’s omnichannel strategy and drive enhanced customer experiences.”
