The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple’s former VP of retail, Ron Johnson, is tapping former Apple colleagues to join him at his new job as CEO of JC Penney. Next to Steve Jobs himself, Ron Johnson has had more impact than anyone on Apple’s incredibly successful retail division over the years.
Johnson officially left Apple nearly two weeks ago for the position of JC Penney CEO. He is reportedly coaxing former Apple talent to join him at JC Penney, including two men that used to be very high up on Apple’s employee food chain.
Penney is close to bringing on Michael Kramer, now chief executive of Kellwood Co., as chief operating officer, people familiar with the matter said. Mr. Kramer previously reported to Mr. Johnson at Apple, where Mr. Kramer was the chief financial officer of Apple Retail from 2000 to 2005. Mr. Johnson ran Apple’s retail operations from 2000 until this October.
It appears that Kramer could be joining Johnson at JC Penney as early as December 1st. Johnson is also tapping another former Apple exec:
“To build out his new team, Mr. Johnson has been relying on another former Apple executive, Daniel Walker, people familiar with the matter said. Mr. Walker was Apple’s chief talent officer from 2000 to 2005 and was the executive who recruited Mr. Johnson to head up Apple’s retail operations.”
Walker helped hire Johnson at Apple back when Steve Jobs was trying to get the company’s retail division off the ground. Johnson was brought in to help make Jobs’ retail dream a reality, and he has since turned the Apple Store into one of the most profitable retail divisions in the world.
While Johnson surely signed some sort agreement that keeps him from poaching current Apple employees, that doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t tap former talent.
