• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

2

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

3

Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’

1

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

2

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

3

Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
RetailCorporate turnaround

Target’s C-Suite Shakeout Continues as Its E-Commerce Chief Leaves

Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 26, 2016, 3:27 PM ET
Photograph by Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

These days, you practically need a scorecard to keep up with all the changes in the c-suite at Target (TGT).

The latest departure? Jason Goldberger, the discount retailer’s chief digital officer, left on Friday, “effective immediately,” a big surprise considering he had been promoted only four months before. Goldberger was responsible for Target’s e-commerce, whose growth had lagged recently, as well as its pricing and promotional strategy. Those responsibilities will be now split between Mike McNamara, chief information officer, and Mark Tritton, chief merchant.

The goal for Target is “to provide clear accountability and speed up decision making,” CEO Brian Cornell said in a statement, adding that the move is designed to make “immediate gains” in addressing Target’s pricing and promotion issues. In its most recent quarter, Target reported a 1.1% drop in comparable sales (the first decline in nearly two years) and lowered its full-year forecast. In contrast, Walmart (WMT), which has been spending billions on “price investments”–reductions, in plain English–saw its results rise.

At Target’s national fall meeting earlier this month, Cornell told Fortune that the company had gone too far in its messaging in the direction of stylish, hip wares and too far away from letting consumers know about low prices. That’s a problem for what is, after all, a discount general merchandiser, cheap-chic products aside. So Target is redoubling its messaging, in stores and in its marketing materials, to emphasize its low price.

“‘Expect more’ and ‘Pay less’ both have to work together,” Cornell said in that recent interview, referring to the retailer’s slogan. “We lost a bit of that balance, and now we’ve got to get back.”

In that context, Goldberger’s departure makes sense. E-commerce growth has significantly slowed- digital sales rose 16% last quarter, a far cry from the 30% clip for all of 2015, let alone the 40% annual growth Cornell was forecasting a year and a half ago.

Executives crow that Target’s e-commerce is growing more quickly than the industry, but at $2.6 billion over the last 12 months, according to eMarketer, digital sales are on par with those of Gap Inc (GPS) and Kohl’s (KSS), much smaller retailers. To Goldberger’s credit, target.com is much easier to navigate now and looks the same across devices, fixing a problem that had annoyed customers for years. (Cornell himself touted those improvements in the Fortune interview.)

Still, the departure by Goldberger, a former Amazon and Gilt.com executive, is just one of spate of major changes at the highest echelons of Target that could be disruptive at tough time. Just last month, Target’s star marketing chief, Jeff Jones, left to take a top job at Uber. (Target’s holiday season marketing plan was in place prior to Jones’s departure, the company says.)

Going back a year and a half, there have many other changes on the 26th floor of Target’s Minneapolis headquarters, so much so that the c-suite has been turned over almost entirely:

  • CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER: Target is undertaking a search to replace Jones.
  • CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER & GENERAL COUNSEL: Don Liu took the job last month, overseeing all legal, corporate governance and government affairs matters, and replacing Tim Baer, a 23-year veteran of the company who will leave Target entirely next year.
  • CHIEF MERCHANT: In June, Target appointed Mark Tritton to be chief merchant, filling a crucial job that had been vacant for a year. Tritton is a seasoned, respected former Nike (NKE) and Nordstrom (JWN) executive, but has no experience to speak of in key categories like food and electronics, two weak points of late for Target.
  • CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER: Longtime Target employee Stephanie Lundquist took the post in February, replacing Jodee Kozla, a 15-year veteran who among other things had played a central role during Target’s data breach crisis nearly three years ago.
  • CHIEF STORES OFFICER: Janna Potts, with the company since 1989, took responsibility in early 2016 for Target’s 1,800 stores, replacing longtime stores boss Tina Tyler.
  • CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER: This job was created in August 2015 to address one of Target’s chronic bêtes noires: popular items going out of stock. Cornell tapped then-CFO John Mulligan to fill the new job, replacing him with outsider Cathy Smith, previously a CFO at such companies as pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts (ESRX) and Walmart International.
  • CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER: In early 2015, Cornell hired former Tesco executive Mike McNamara to be its CIO, primarily to shore up Target’s cyber-defenses. McNamara replaced an executive who’d been in the job for a year.

The bottom line? Of Cornell’s 10-member leadership team, only two were in the c-suite when he arrived in August 2014: Mulligan and Laysha Ward, who as chief corporate social responsibility officer is the only top executive who still holds the position she had when Cornell joined.

Even though it’s perfectly normal for a new CEO to change a company’s brass, the turnover at Target is unusually high. That’s a lot of change to manage at a very difficult time, especially as the make-or-break holiday season is almost upon us.

But Cornell doesn’t see a problem. “We’ve brought in some great talent and we elevated talent from within,” he says.

About the Author
Phil Wahba
By Phil WahbaSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Phil Wahba is a senior writer at Fortune primarily focused on leadership coverage, with a prior focus on retail.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

ll
Economysummer
Deviled eggs, seltzer and a burger you can’t quit: The GLP-1 crowd is (halfway) reinventing the American BBQ
By Nick LichtenbergJune 25, 2026
2 hours ago
A pedestrian walks past a Gucci luxury fashion store at a shopping district on June 24, 2026, in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
RetailLuxury
Rich consumers taking GLP-1s are rebuying their wardrobes and eating smaller, fancier dishes—it’s a factor saving the luxury sector right now
By Eleanor PringleJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
Micron drives global rally tech stock rally as traders abandon their fear of an AI bubble
InvestingMarkets
Micron drives global rally tech stock rally as traders abandon their fear of an AI bubble
By Jim EdwardsJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
Walmart’s $1.4 billion Vibe.co deal is a direct shot at Amazon’s booming ad business
Retailecommerce
Walmart’s $1.4 billion Vibe.co deal is a direct shot at Amazon’s booming ad business
By Phil WahbaJune 25, 2026
8 hours ago
A Viking ship named Havhingsten af Glendalough - the Sea Stallion of Glendalough -, the world's largest replica of a Viking warship, sets out 01 JUly 2007 from the Viking Museum in Roskilde, Denmark, on a voyage to Dublin in Ireland, where it is scheduled to arrive 14 August.
EuropeScience
1,000-year-old massive textile factory unearthed in Denmark—and it belonged to the Vikings
By James Brooks and The Associated PressJune 24, 2026
18 hours ago
How ‘Ozempic face’ is pushing Gen X, already the biggest Botox and filler consumers, to the facelift table a decade early
HealthGen X
How ‘Ozempic face’ is pushing Gen X, already the biggest Botox and filler consumers, to the facelift table a decade early
By Mia OsmonbekovJune 24, 2026
19 hours ago

Most Popular

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
8 hours ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
Economy
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
By Tristan BoveJune 24, 2026
21 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.