Retail
J.C. Penney Names Jill Soltau of Joann Stores as Chief Executive
- ‘Jill stood out’ among strong candidate slate, director says
- She becomes the department store chain’s first female leader
Photographer: Paul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
J.C. Penney Co. named Jill Soltau as its first female chief executive officer, bringing her 30 years of retail experience to the embattled department-store chain.
Soltau, who has served as CEO of Joann Stores since 2015, will step into the role on Oct. 15, J.C. Penney said Tuesday in a statement. Shares of the retailer surged as much as 12 percent in late trading.