NATION

John B. Utsey has been named chairman and chief executive of Federated Department Stores’ Houston-based Foley’s department store division, effective Dec. 1. Utsey, 48, currently the division’s vice chairman, will replace Lasker M. Meyer, 61, who is retiring.

Utsey became vice chairman in January, 1987, when Federated’s Foley’s and Sanger Harris divisions were merged into one organization operating 38 department stores in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico.