Soroka Named Robinsons-May Chairman

May Department Stores Co. on Monday announced a series of promotions, including the selection of Robert Soroka, senior vice president at Robinsons-May, as chairman of the Los Angeles-based department store chain.

Soroka will succeed Kenneth L. Wilkerson, who is leaving to become chairman of Foley’s, a Houston-based department store chain that is also operated by St. Louis-based May Department Stores. The changes are effective May 1.

As chairman of Robinsons-May, Soroka will oversee sales support functions, such as information systems and store and credit operations.

He will report to David P. Mullen, who remains president and chief executive of Robinsons-May, which operates 46 stores in Southern California and seven stores in Nevada and Arizona.

Soroka has held various positions in 20 years at May Department Stores, including executive stints at Hecht’s in Washington and at St. Louis-based Famous-Barr. He became senior vice president and chief financial officer of May Co. California in 1990 and retained that position when May Co. merged with the Robinson’s chain in 1993.

Robinsons-May plans to spend $200 million over the next three years to open seven new stores and expand and remodel others.