Speakers

Mark A. Cohen has been in the retail business since his graduation from Columbia University in 1971. (MBA ’71, BS Electrical Engineering ’69) He has over 20 years experience in president/chairman, chief executive officer level positions. Most recently he was Chairman/CEO of Sears Canada Inc, Chief Marketing Officer and President of Softlines of Sears Roebuck & Co., Chairman/CEO of Bradlees Inc., and Chairman/CEO of Lazarus Department Stores. He has also held positions with Abraham & Strauss, The Gap, Lord   Taylor, Mervyn’s and Goldsmith’s Department Stores. He has been a contract Professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business since 2006 teaching courses in Retailing Leadership, Retail Fundamentals, and a Master Class in Creating a Retail Enterprise. He is currently the Director of Retail Studies and an Adjunct Professor at Columbia. He also serves as an independent consultant to both the retail and consumer products industry and offers commentary on the retail industry to CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg and Fox Business networks.