Presentation from Retail’s BIG Show, January 15-17, 2017. HEIDI O'NEILL, President, Direct to Consumer, Nike Inc. JAKE FARRELL, Sr. Manager, Interconnected Operations Strategy, The Home Depot LAUREN MASTRODONATO, Project Manager, Retail Operations, West Elm PAIGE RICHARDSON, VP & Divisional Merchandise Mgr., Contemporary, Young Contemporary & Fast Fashion, Belk, Inc. BLAKE SMITH, Designer, Dana Buchman, Kohl's Corporation

1. Millennial to Millennial: A Young
Professionals Panel
Heidi O’Neill, Nike
Jake Farrell, The Home Depot
Lauren Mastrodonato, West Elm
Paige Richardson, Belk
Blake Smith, Kohl’s

2. Jake Farrell: The Home Depot
• Senior Manager:
Interconnected
Operations Strategy
• Georgia Institute of
Technology

3. Career Journey
• U.S. Army Reserve Command:
Readiness Analyst (2010-2012)
• The Home Depot (2012- Present):
Operations Analyst, Store Operations
Sr. Analyst, Store Operations
Manager, Store Operations
Sr. Manager, homedepot.com

4. Lauren Mastrodonato
Project Manager, west elm

5. • Branch of Williams-Sonoma, Inc.; Born in Brooklyn in 2002
• Choice, Community, Consciousness

6. Career Path
• College of Communication
• Susan Lawrence: Sales; Private label fashion company
• Supply Chain Operations; e-commerce start up company
focused on delivering everyday design
• Store Operations; support over 92 Shopkeepers + store
teams on projects related to supply management, product
quality and Brand Expansion—opened over 30 stores in two
years

8. Paige Richardson
Belk
Vice President/DMM
Young Contemporary & Contemporary

9. Journey
Blumarine
Internship
(unpaid foot in the door)
Jr. Account Executive
(the payoff)
Abercrombie
Assistant Merchant
Associate Merchant
Macy’s
5 years 3 roles
Associate Buyer
Buyer
Sr. Buyer
Belk
4 roles since 2013
Currently VP DMM
Young Contemporary &
Contemporary
Start Core Development The Jump

10. Now @ Belk
• Lead all Young Contemporary
& Contemporary
• 5 Buying Offices
• $450m in buying power
• Changing face of retail

11. • Take Strategic Risks
• Come with a Plan
• Prove it Before You
Interview

12. Blake Smith
Kohl’s Dept. Store

13. About Blake:
• Designer for the Dana Buchman brand
• Missy Classic better brand sold exclusively @ Kohl’s
• BFA 2012 from

14. About Blake’s “Glidepath”:
Intern –
summer
2012
Assistant
2012-2014
Associate
2014-2016
Designer
2016-
present
A day in the life of the
Designer role:
• Research/concept monthly collection
direction – color/fabrics/prints/details.
• Assort and present collection at all major buy
meetings w/ management and merchants.
• Own category development of Sweaters,
Dresses, and Bottoms.
• Attend fittings to maintain brand aesthetic.
• Communicate daily w/ overseas and domestic
vendor partners.
• Brainstorm for new processes to advance
workflow and maintain design calendar
needs.

15. A Few Accolades: