Michael Gould

Michael Gould, often referred to as one of the most accomplished and recognized leaders in American retailing, became chairman and chief executive officer of Bloomingdale’s in November 1991 and served in that capacity for over 22 years. Mr. Gould received his bachelor of arts degree from Columbia University in 1966 and continued there to earn a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Business. It was a summer internship program during his MBA studies that afforded Gould his first retail experience. A brief summer stint at Abraham and Straus in New York was enough to inspire him to seek a retail career, and in 1968, Gould entered that store’s Executive Training Squad as an assistant buyer in decorative home furnishings. He soon became the company’s youngest merchandise vice president. In 1978, Mr. Gould was named a senior vice president of J.W. Robinson’s in Los Angeles. Within two years, he was appointed executive vice president of merchandising and sales promotion. In 1981, he became J.W. Robinson’s chairman and chief executive officer. Subsequently, he also became a member of the board of directors of its parent company, Associated Dry Goods. In 1986, he was tapped as president and chief operating officer of Giorgio Beverly Hills. When Avon Products purchased that company in 1987, he was named president and chief executive officer, and remained there until joining Bloomingdale’s. Mr. Gould serves on a number of boards, including those of Lenox Hill Hospital, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, Central Synagogue, the American Jewish Committee, Urban Edge Properties, and the Rand Corporation.