LOS ANGELES — In an effort to boost its executive ranks to keep pace with growth, St. John has named Kelly Gray executive vice president and also named four vice presidents.
The new vice presidents represent three promotions to newly created posts plus a new hire, Karen Schneider, who was a buyer of evening dresses at Neiman Marcus.
Robert Gray, chief executive officer, said the promotions are the beginning of a hiring effort that will beef up all areas of the company. St. John, which is based in the Orange County city of Irvine, Calif., currently employees 2,600 in its factories and offices, and Gray predicted that figure would increase to almost 3,000 by the end of the year.
“We have been growing at better than 20 percent a year,” Gray said. “We’re on that track again this year. We need to have additional upper level executives. This is a simple building process.”
Kelly Gray was senior vice president and creative director. Along with being named executive vice president, she will continue as creative director. Gray, the daughter of St. John founders Robert and Marie Gray, began working summer odd jobs at St. John when she was 12 years old in 1979.
Her first official position was advertising director, and today she oversees advertising and retail. She also is a designer for the firm’s Griffith & Gray label and works on design for the St. John ready-to-wear label as well as accessories and shoes. She also is the signature model featured in St. John advertising campaigns. She continues to report to Robert Gray.
Schneider joins St. John as vice president and fashion merchandiser. Before joining Neiman’s, she was a buyer at Saks Fifth Avenue. She reports to Karla Guyer, senior vice president of marketing. A successor at Neiman’s has not been named.
Lorelle Gay, former general manager of the New York boutique, has been named vice president in charge of the eastern retail region. In addition to her position in the New York boutique, she is now responsible for St. John boutiques in Atlanta; Manhasset, N.Y.; Palm Beach, and Bal Harbour, Fla. Gay reports to Kelly Gray.
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Linda Koontz, former national sales manager of the knits division, had added vice president to her title. She continues to report to Karla Guyer, senior vice president of marketing.
Lucy Robertson, who was production control manager, becomes vice president in charge of costing and production. She reports to Bob Davis, president of St. John.
In a telephone interview Friday, Robert Gray said construction on the much-anticipated Beverly Hills store is “on track” for a spring debut. St. John has leased space on Wilshire Boulevard between Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus for its first Beverly Hills store.