Frances Degen Horowitz, who as the president of the City University of New York's Graduate Center for nearly 15 years raised its academic stature and transplanted it to a prestigious Fifth. Sonia Horowitz, Daughter Of Pianist, Is Dead at 40, https://www.nytimes.com/1975/01/11/archives/obituary-2-no-title.html. And the CEO eventually became notorious for his imperious management style. Fran Horowitz, A&F's newly promoted CMO, had almost 8 successful years in Express Inc. to draw upon for her new role. In Lawrence, as a member of a small but thriving Jewish community, she lived in a home originally built for the Episcopal archbishop. The CEO returns to her alma mater to keynote the Gabelli School of Business' American Innovation Conference. The sector faced enormous pressure to discount, discount, discount due to intense competition from fast-fashion players like Zara, H&M, Uniqlo. Hollister, a California apparel brand and standalone division of ANF that Horowitz turned around as president when she joined in 2014, has served up seven straight quarters of same-store sales growth. The Exodus from Egypt was surely a far greater leadership exploit than any Frances had achieved, Professor Kornblum said at the time, but consider that Moses was not dealing with full professors.. Even with the wins, Horowitzs fix-it power hasnt fully convinced Wall Street. Dr. Horowitz later joined the University of Kansas in Lawrence, where she headed its department of human development and family life from 1968 to 1978. That combination of new ideas leaves Horowitz in an enviable position at her five-year mark facing new challenges, but able to look back and call the rehabilitation of Abercrombie the greatest success in her career so far. (2009). "In every school there are the . May God bless your family Spookie. She said when leading social networks such as Google and Meta want to innovate they partner with Abercrombie, and her companys merchant and design teams use social for product inspiration, listening to what people are saying about the brand and learning about the products they are loving or not loving. The team (staff) starts to believe, the investors start to believe.. The last major prong in Horowitzs turnaround has been to rethink store strategy. She is the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., a position she has held since her appointment in February 2017 following the ouster of Mike Jeffries. Ms. Horowitz owns over 25,048 units of Abercrombie & Fitch Co stock worth over $19,798,116 and over the last 13 years she sold ANF stock worth over $12,440,940. The following year,after initial success in turning Hollister around, she was put in charge of fixing the Abercrombie brand too,becoming president and chief merchant for the whole company,and in 2017 she rose to CEO of the parent company, also called Abercrombie & Fitch (hereafter A&F). American Eagle Outfitters and Express have notched 29% and 16% gains, respectively, while Limited Brands has plunged 49% on the back of troubles at Victorias Secret. Between shows Frances found time to play an extra in the 1983 movie Lone Wolf McQuade, teach reading to students seeking a high school equivalency certificate and appear in various television and billboard commercials. While Friends two daughters havent been lured back into Abercrombie yet, he thinks the chains focus on quality will pay off over time. Frances's true calling outside the home was community theater. Our customer lives for the four-day weekend. S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. Jul 26, 2021, 07:30 ET. Horowitz still sounds amazed years later when describing a dinner at the end of a store visit trip in Los Angeles in early 2015, just after she joined Hollister. No indication was given of the cause, and Mrs. Horowitz left for Geneva on receiving word. 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CHICAGO, July 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) today announced the appointment of Fran Horowitz to its board of directors, effective Aug. 2, 2021 . But under Horowitz, Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister do more with those insights. For Fran Horowitz, chief executive officer of Abercrombie & Fitch, priority number one for transforming the image and performance of the Hollister and Abercrombie brands was resetting the mind-set of the organization. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Archrival American Eagle Outfitters is another. Through the years she acted in, directed, or produced numerous shows including Jesus Christ Superstar, The Diary of Anne Frank, Pippin, Lion in Winter, Murder at the Vicarage, Annie, Under Papa's Picture, Into the Desert, Summer and Smoke, and Master Class, among others. Abercrombie & Fitch is an American lifestyle retailer that focuses on casual wear. In February, Horowitz passed her 5-year anniversary as CEO: Abercrombie sales for 2021 came within striking distance of where they were when Horowitz took over that brand in 2015 at $1.56. Here's how, You sense the market is desperately hoping the Fed is done hiking interest rates, says Peter Boockvar. "Conagra and our shareholders will benefit from Fran's deep experience building consumer brands and her proven track record as an executive leader. Horowitz wanted a feel for both brands turnaround prospects. In addition to her son Benjamin, a professor at Penn State College of Medicine, she is survived by another son, Jason Degen Horowitz; three grandchildren; and a sister, Alyce Scimeca. I am maybe two months into this job, and I am introducing people who had been at the company for over a decade, working on the same campus, but didnt know each other, she recalls. Fran has made over 33 trades of the Abercrombie & Fitch Co stock since 2011, according to the Form 4 filled with the SEC. They were used to somebody coming in and it being about an audit, says Scott, who is now president of global brands for A&F as a whole. Today, Abercrombie stores are better lit than in the soft-porn era and have a warmer, more grown-up feel, with elegant wood shelving for clothes and leather couchesthe vibe is more parlor than discothque. Over the last 20 years, insiders at Abercrombie & Fitch Co have traded over $36,829,617 worth of Abercrombie & Fitch Co stock and bought 240,987 units worth $5,566,000 Rising short interest suggests Wall Street is betting on a stumble in Abercrombies comeback attempt. [15] She was elected a fellow of the American Association for Advancement of Science in 1994,[16] the New York Academy of Sciences in 2000,[5] and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2004. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. Customers who used the Share2Pay for purchases placed orders almost two times the rate of other customers, Horowitz said. My genuine answer is I like to be myself as a ceo, and not really base that on my gender. But a successful holiday season for Abercrombie & Fitch a distinct possibility given a solid U.S. economy and momentum at both brands could go a long way to squashing Wall Street haters. Bronx-born, she held academic posts in the Midwest before returning to New York. She served in this capacity for 13 months where she built upon marketing, merchandising and store operation changes put in motion years prior. Sustaining those premium prices has posed Horowitz with another urgent missionthroughout her tenure:She has raced to improve the quality of A&F products to justify their margins. When Fran Horowitz was considering a job offer to run the struggling, billion-dollar-plus Hollister clothing brand, she did the due diligence that any prospective C-suite executive would undertakewhich, in her case, included a trip to the mall. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Horowitz, F. D., Subotnik, R. F., & Matthews, D. J. Got a confidential news tip? As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The source of innovation comes from our global customers. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Horowitzs knack for fixing things has paid off for investors. It, Michael Solomon, a professor of marketing at Saint Josephs Universitys Haub School of Business, . Is Mike Jeffries married? Meanwhile, in contrast to their former ersatz beach shack look, Hollister stores today have no props and instead showcase clothing neatly stacked and organized in a way to make shopping easier; there are no palm trees in sight or surf music to be heard. [4] She was promoted to president and Chief Merchandising Officer of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., a new corporate role, in December 2015. I love to tell the story that when my daughter . [20], Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 13:35, the Graduate Center, City University of New York, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, Society for Research in Child Development, American Association for Advancement of Science, "University community remembers contributions of Floyd Horowitz", "In Memoriam: Frances Degen Horowitz, President of The Graduate Center from 1991 to 2005", "Frances D. Horowitz, 88, Dies; Transformed CUNY Graduate Center", "Frances Degen Horowitz | Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences", "Press Release: Frances Degen Horowitz Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences", "A Yellow Springs Blog: Antioch College Trustees name new chairperson", "Society of Psychologists in Leadership Awards", "2005 Alumni Fellows | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | The University of Iowa", Towards 2044: Horowitz Early Career Scholar Program, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frances_Degen_Horowitz&oldid=1140307005. Referring to Lanny's life insurance policy . It also sells $65 reversible fleeces and $50 hoodies. At an April investor day this year, Abercrombie & Fitch guided to 2020 targets of low single-digit percentage sales growth and a doubling of EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) margins. ", Fran Horowitz said, "I'm excited to join the Conagra Brands board. She now tries to meet as many people as possible via Zoom. Abercrombie plans to close 30 stores this year but open 50 new ones; those will tend to be smaller, and many will be off-mall. Kathryn OslerThe Denver Post via Getty Images, Photograph by Maddie McGarvey for Fortune, Brooks CanadayMediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images). The company also listened more closely to what customers had to say, convening focus groups, and building an in-house sounding board of employees who match its shoppers ages. However, "the supply chain is a challenge . Her husband's various assignments led her to California, Michigan, Hawaii, Alabama, Texas (twice), Germany (twice), Colorado and Maryland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00AM on Friday, November 19, 2021, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 85 Marsh Dr., Carlisle, PA 17015. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Gabe too became a friend, and before I knew him, I had acquired one of his paintings at a gallery without putting together the connection. She is the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., a position she has held since her appointment in February 2017 following the ouster of Mike Jeffries. One of the things theyve done right is inject just enough fashion for it to be interesting without going so far that it becomes very exclusionary, Saunders says. As a teenager, Frances won flying lessons as the prize in a New York City essay contest and became a qualified pilot. With legacy retailers such as J.C. Penney, Sears and Limited Brands having one foot in the grave thanks to Amazons dominance, the 126-year-old Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) rides into this years holiday season with momentum almost reminiscent of the chains heydays in the early 2000s. Well be selling notions of a different kind ideas.. She was a lovely lady and I was glad to call her my good friend. Fran Horowitz serves as Chief Executive Officer, Director of the Company. We remained in contact. The previous regimes top-down approach to employees was echoed in its approach to customers, essentially telling them what they should wear to fit in. He points to another telling detail: improved stitching on shirt buttons that attaches them more securely, something that can seem banal but are decisive in getting a customer to shell out $60 for a dress shirt rather than $45 at Old Navy,a highly popular but lower priced brand. All Rights Reserved. It was late 2014, and Horowitz had just come off a stint as brand president at Ann Taylor Loft after gigs as a top merchant at retailers like Express and Bloomingdales. Urban Outfitters has tacked on a respectable 14%. Horowitz served as president of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 7 (Developmental Psychology) from 1977 to 1978. 2023 CNBC LLC. Dr. Horowitz was president of the Graduate Center until 2005 and a faculty member there until she retired in 2010. Chief Executive Officer at Abercrombie & Fitch FRAN HOROWITZ is currently A&F Co.'s Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive Officer (February 2017 to present). Abercrombie was much more famous, or infamous, for its own immersive store ethos. [11][unreliable source] She met her future husband, Floyd Ross Horowitz, when she was 11 years old. The company was strategically cautious on these redesign fronts, aiming to prove to Wall Street that increasing quality was financially sound. Her 2017 annual salary was $10.3M, nearly 3400 times that of the average (part-time) employee. Sales at both Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister were in the middle of a decline from their high-water mark of $4.5 billion in 2012; by 2016, their combined sales would sink 28% from that high. Ms. Horowitz is also a member of the Columbus Partnership, a non-profit organization of chief executive officers from leading businesses and institutions in Columbus, Ohio, with the goal of improving economic development in the city that is home to the Company. Jeffries top-down management approach worked welluntil it didnt. At the Abercrombie brand, that quality push has meant incorporating softer materials that give an almost luxurious feel to items like hoodies and sweatshirts. from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. We went back to supporting the heritage of the company and giving value to the consumer, Horowitz said. We quietly agreed to avoid conversations about politics, which Im certain enabled the durability of our friendship. Jeffries approach, as Horowitz learned, had led to turf wars and big silos within the company. And absent stores with a very splashy look and personality that had long given A&F much of its sizzle, the company has come up more inventive ways to market itself. There she began using untested teaching techniques in the classroom, earning her a reputation as an upstart. Three and a half years at night at Gabelli was not an easy task while driving a career, but one that certainly taught me discipline, organization and endless planning, she said. The point being, as Horowitz explained, is that the A&F corporation is evolving processes much more like a tech company than a traditional company.We hired our first chief digital and technology officer 18 months ago, Horowitz said, referring to Samir Desai. Between the ages of 10 to 16 Franois had taken acting classes but she did not expect to make acting her career. By the 2010s, his my-way-or-the-highway approach meant the company was missing important cultural shifts and falling out of step with its consumers, who were becoming less interested in company logos and airs of exclusivity. The company's portfolio is evolving to satisfy people's changing food preferences. Stacey Widlitz, president of SW Retail Advisors, recalls visiting a Hollister store in Londonin 2014 and being put offby the night-spot ambience and the clutter, including a chandelier that protruded upside-down from the floor rather than hanging from a ceiling. 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You set an example for all of us and I so admired your ability to make friends with everyone and truly care about them. It's soared 271% over the past year alone. For Fran Horowitz, chief executive officer of Abercrombie & Fitch, priority number one for transforming the image and performance of the Hollister and Abercrombie brands was resetting the mind-set . This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Abercrombie also has shown it knows how far it can go with more trend-forward products, such as its highly popular vegan leather pants for women, and higher quality touches such as zippered pockets for its mens joggers. Before her time with Express, Inc., Ms. Horowitz spent 13 years at Bloomingdales in various merchandising roles, prior to which she served in various positions at Bergdorf Goodman, Bonwit Teller and Saks Fifth Avenue. A&F is largely out of failing malls in the U.S.; in other cities, including London, it has closed large Abercrombie flagship stores and replaced them with multiple smaller ones. It delivered its third straight same-store sales gain in the second quarter. He is 77 years old, born on July 15, 1944. There are indeed few other examples. I have spent my entire career fixing things and thats how I feel like I have made my name it dates back to Bloomingdales when I first was able to relaunch a key product line, Horowitz told Yahoo Finance. . Suddenly, there was a marked improvement, Saunders says. Horowitz was an assistant professor at Southern Oregon College from 1959 to 1961[6] before joining the faculty of the University of Kansas.