Saks Incorporated Announces New Hires At Saks Direct

Business Wire, March 17, 2000

Business Editors

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 2000

Retailer Saks Incorporated (NYSE: SKS) (the "Company") today announced Saks Direct's recent hire of three e-commerce executives with extensive expertise in information technology, marketing and merchandising. These executives include: Robert Dykman, Chief Technology Officer, Saks Direct; Jessica Pezzullo, Chief Marketing Officer, Saks Direct; and Lynne Ronon, Senior Vice President General Merchandise Manager, E-Commerce, all reporting directly to Denise Incandela, Chief Operating Officer, Saks Direct.

Bill Haslam, President, Saks Direct, stated, "We are very pleased to be expanding Saks Direct's management team with executives who each bring comprehensive knowledge and extensive experience in their individual fields. Each of them will be instrumental in the further development of Saks Direct and saksfifthavenue.com and in maximizing our growth opportunities."

Robert Dykman, Chief Technology Officer, Saks Direct, will be responsible for the management of IT application/software development, infrastructure, operations and technology planning for Saks Direct. He most recently served as Vice President, Technical Infrastructure for Barnes & Noble.com. Prior to this, he held management and technical positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Avon Products, Inc., Ernst & Young, Salomon Brothers, Inc., and First Security Bank of Utah.

Saks Direct's marketing department will report to Jessica Pezzullo, Chief Marketing Officer, whose responsibilities will include marketing, media, customer relations, branding and business development for Saks Direct. Most recently, as Vice President, Marketing Director for Strategic Interactive Group, she managed the interactive launch of Blue from American Express, as well as other initiatives. Prior to this, she has held marketing positions at Hearst New Media, New Woman Magazine, Random House, Inc., and Columbia House, Sony Corporation.

Lynne Ronon, Senior Vice President General Merchandise Manager, E-Commerce, will oversee the merchandising direction for Saks Direct's e-commerce initiative, saksfifthavenue.com. She most recently held the position of Senior Vice President, General Merchandise Manager, Woman's Ready to Wear, Children's Wear and Gifts for Saks Fifth Avenue. Ms. Ronon has held merchandising positions of increasing responsibility at Saks Fifth Avenue since 1985. Prior to Saks Fifth Avenue, Ms. Ronon held merchandising and store management positions at Gimbel's Philadelphia and The Blum Store.

Additionally Saks Direct recently announced the promotion of Michael Matthews, Vice President and Creative Director, Saks Fifth Avenue, to Senior Vice President, Creative Director, Saks Direct, reporting to Denise Incandela. At Saks Fifth Avenue, Matthews was responsible for the creative development of brand advertising, catalogs and packaging for Saks Fifth Avenue. He has worked as a Creative Director throughout his 30-year career in the fashion industry for Neiman Marcus; Vogue Patterns; Lipman, Richmond, Greene Advertising; Dillard's; Sakowitz; and Garfinkels.

Saks Incorporated currently operates over 350 department stores in 38 states under the names of Saks Fifth Avenue, Proffitt's, McRae's, Younkers, Parisian, Herberger's, Carson Pirie Scott, Bergner's, Boston Store, and Off 5th. The Company also operates a direct response business, Saks Direct, which includes the Folio and Bullock & Jones catalogs.