May Co. Parent Names 2 New Vice Chairmen

Anticipating the resignation next year in a key vice chairman’s post, May Department Stores on Friday named Jerome T. Loeb, 45, and Lawrence E. Honig, 38, as vice chairmen.

Announcing plans to retire in early 1987 was Allan J. Bloostein, 56, who joined the St. Louis-based retailing company in 1970 and had responsibility for several department store divisions, including May Co. California.

Leadership of that division, which last month named a new president and chief executive, now falls to Vice Chairman Richard L. Battram, 51. Other divisions reporting to Battram are Hecht’s, Famous-Barr and G. Fox & Co.

Battram and Kenneth F. Sokol, May Co. California’s new president, inherit a chain that is struggling to maintain market share in the competitive Southern California market. It is the company’s largest division.

Honig, whose previous post was executive vice president for strategic planning and human resources, will be in charge of Kaufmann’s Pittsburgh, May Co. Cleveland, Meier & Frank, O’Neil’s, May D & F and May Cohens. He joined the retailer in 1982 and was recently named to the board of directors.

The strategic planning department will now report directly to May Chairman and Chief Executive David C. Farrell. The human resources duties fall to May President Thomas A. Hays.

Loeb, whose former title was executive vice president and chief financial officer, will continue as chief financial officer and controller. He joined the company in 1964.

Sarah A. Stack, an analyst at Bateman Eichler, Hill Richards in Los Angeles, said the appointments “sound pretty ordinary.” It sounds as if the company is “preparing for succession in a reasonable way, and that’s always good,” she added.