Photo by Henry Marc PerezThe New York Times jobs section has been running vignettes on bosses, managers and employees. Today one of the featurettes was on Glen Senk, the CEO of Urban Outfitters.
From the article:
My first job after graduating was with Bloomingdale’s. I had nine great years there, starting as an assistant buyer and finishing as senior vice president and managing director of Bloomingdale’s by Mail.
From the article:
My first job after graduating was with Bloomingdale’s. I had nine great years there, starting as an assistant buyer and finishing as senior vice president and managing director of Bloomingdale’s by Mail.
My partner, Keith, and I had always been Anglophiles, so when I was offered an executive job at the retailer Habitat in London, we decided to move. We loved it there, but we were ready to come back to the States after a couple of years. I joined Williams Sonoma in the United States as the head merchant for all five of its businesses. Two years later, I decided to leave to start a food business.
As I was developing the plan and raising the capital, I met Dick Hayne, the founder of Urban Outfitters. Dick offered me a job, but I was determined to start my own business. After another year of raising money, I realized that I was a better merchant than money-raiser. I returned my investors’ money and joined Urban Outfitters as president of the Anthropologie brand. Dick had promised to let me run Anthropologie as if it were my own, and he was true to his word. In 2007 I became C.E.O. of Urban Outfitters.Also in the story we learn that Senk grew up riding and showing horses. As a fellow equestrian I think that's pretty awesome and I love his application of riding principles to work. It's interesting to learn where successful people come from and I appreciate Mr. Senk sharing his personal history with the New York Times. No super secret or earth shattering news revealed within; just a nice piece on the man with the grand plans for the stores we frequent.
