Sears Names Spears to Head Men's Apparel

Sears, Roebuck and Co. has named Wayne Spears vice president, general merchandise manager of Men's Apparel effective immediately. Spears, 36, will oversee all menswear functions. He will report to Leslie Mann, senior vice president, Softlines. Spears succeeds Ken Walter, who left the company June 1.

Spears joins Sears from Target Corporation's Mervyn's division, where he served as vice president, merchandise manager for Menswear since October 1998. Spears, who joined Mervyn's in September 1994 as a senior buyer, also served as director of Merchandise Planning for Children's, and divisional merchandise manager for the Boys and Girls Division. Prior to joining Mervyn's, Spears held Men's and Young Men's buyer and sales manager positions at Carter Hawley Hale Department Stores in Los Angeles.

"Wayne brings a wealth of merchandising experience and an impressive track record of achievement," Mann said. "His talents and skills will allow him to make immediate and significant contributions to Sears success."

Spears holds a B.S. degree from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California.

Sears, Roebuck and Co. is a leading retailer of apparel, home and automotive products and services, with annual revenue of more than $40 billion. The company serves families in the U.S. through Sears stores nationwide, including approximately 860 full-line stores. Sears also offers a wide variety of merchandise and services through its Web site, http://www.sears.com/ .

SOURCE: Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Contact: Maureen Jenkins, +1-847-286-9017, or Marie Alexander,
+1-847-286-5060, both of Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Website: http://www.sears.com/