12 to watch in 2002
Deena Nichols

Advertiser Staff

For Deena Nichols, Macy's vice president of Hawai'i operations, the challenge now will be to manage expansion and renovations amid a sputtering state economy, fend off competitors looming on the horizon, and keep the momentum going with shoppers who can be as fickle as the wind.

In her short time in Hawai'i, Nichols, 46, has successfully used a mix of business savvy and local sensitivity to assimilate thousands of employees into a new organization, blend new merchandise and brand changes without alienating shoppers, and keep the Hawai'i flavor alive.

And there are more changes in store in the year ahead that have the power to shift the local retailing landscape even further: more new merchandise, more store renovations, and expansion plans in Waikiki and elsewhere.

"In just the few short months we've operated as Macy's, the people of Hawai'i have had only a small taste of what Macy's has to offer," Nichols said. "In 2002, our customers and employees can expect to see much more."