J. W. Robinson’s Chief Quits After 10 Months, Signaling More Moves by New Owner

The head of the troubled J. W. Robinson Co. department store chain resigned Tuesday, bringing to an end a tumultuous 10-month tenure and signaling another round of changes by the chain’s new owner, May Department Stores of St. Louis.

May disclosed in a statement that Robert L. Mettler, 46, will become Robinson’s new president and chief executive, replacing Tom L. Roach, 43, who was named chairman and chief executive just last March. Mettler now runs a May chain of stores in Indianapolis, Ind.

The changes are effective Feb. 2.

Roach’s resignation came less than one week after four Robinson’s executives were abruptly dismissed while he was on vacation. It also follows moves by May to replace the chief executives at Lord & Taylor and at Caldor, two chains that May also acquired last summer in a merger with Associated Dry Goods.

In making the announcement, May noted changes at the chain during the past few months but also suggested that more may be in the works.

More Focused, Disciplined

May Vice Chairman Lawrence E. Honig said in statement: “Bob Mettler is joining a company that is more focused and disciplined than it was six months ago. It has significantly reduced excessive inventories and slow-selling stock, while sharpening its merchandising direction and better defining its resource structure.

“Progress is also under way in reducing and controlling expenses. J. W. Robinson’s has a dedicated and committed organization, and Bob Mettler will be able to pull it together and provide direction and leadership.”

May also said Robinson’s President Alfonso Schettini will remain with the same responsibilities, but with the new title of chairman. Jim Abrams, May’s spokesman in St. Louis, said the title change was made to conform with other May units, which include May Co. California.

Tuesday’s management shakeup had been long rumored after it was reported that Roach was on vacation at the close of the fiscal year and after Schettini announced last week’s management changes. Neither Schettini nor Roach was available for interviews Tuesday.

Roach was named to head Robinson’s by Associated Dry Goods, which had publicly criticized Roach’s predecessor, Michael Gould, who resigned. Gould is now president of Giorgio Inc. in Beverly Hills.

However, not long after Roach assumed his posts at Robinson’s, the 22-store Southern California chain was acquired by May. Robinson’s had 1985 sales of $582 million; 1986 figures have not been released.

When Roach came on board, he inherited Gould’s vision and splashy strategy to make Robinson’s the contemporary fashion leader among department stores--a costly vision that did not always bring in the bottom line as targeted. In contrast, Roach’s strategy, according company insiders, was to return to more traditional, “preppy” and career-oriented looks.

The result, they say, was backed-up inventories and lackluster sales, while Robinson’s competitors--notably Bullock’s--sharpened its merchandising in the fashion area.

Analyst William N. Smith of Smith Barney, Harris Upham & Co. was surprised by Roach’s departure. “They had told me there might be other heads to roll, but I didn’t ask if (Roach) was going to be one of them,” Smith said.

“Obviously they needed to make some major changes there” at Robinson’s, he said. The chain was adding “zero” to May’s bottom line and had been losing money through November, although the company said that sales picked up in December and inventories improved, Smith said.

However, Olha Holoyda, an analyst who follows May for Stifel Nicolaus & Co., a St. Louis-based regional brokerage firm, said she had been expecting more changes at Robinson’s beyond last week’s management changes.

“May made no secret that it was going to get efficiencies up at the Associated divisions, and a change in personnel is par for the course,” she said.

“The margins that Robinson’s, from what I understand, put in are certainly not what the rest of May is performing,” Holoyda said. “They’re just not up to par.”

May’s spokesman said Tuesday that more changes are ahead. “Robinson’s expenses are too high. They do have to reduce over a period of time. There are functions that are being combined, reduced or eliminated, and we’re working very hard to handle those situations in a sensitive and responsible way.”

Mettler is now president and chief executive of L. S. Ayres of Indianapolis. He joined May in 1986 from the Texas department store chain of Joske’s, where he was president and chief executive.

Nancy Rivera Brooks contributed to this story.