Miller to Retire After 37 Years at J. C. Penney

David Miller, chief operating officer of the store and catalogue division of J. C. Penney, is retiring after 37 years with the Dallas-based retailer, and Vice Chairman Robert Gill will assume the job, effective March 1.

Gill is in charge of finance, credit, consumer banking services, auditing, business services and insurance operations for J. C. Penney Co.

He started as a buyer trainee in 1953 and has been a merchandise manager, director of merchandise operations and director of corporate personnel. He was elected a vice president in 1969, a senior vice president in 1981 and a vice chairman in 1982.

Miller joined Penney as a sales clerk in 1953 and advanced to district manager by 1969. He was appointed director of regional coordination in 1972 and elected a regional vice president in 1976. He became president of J. C. Penney Stores and Catalogue in 1983 and the same year was elected to the board. He assumed his present position running Penney store and catalogue operations in 1987.

In other organizational changes, the board elected Robert Northam and Richard Erickson executive vice presidents, effective Feb. 1. Ted Spurlock was elected a senior vice president, effective Friday.