James Gundell, co-CEO of EILEEN FISHER, INC, will visit Drexel as a distinguished speaker presented by the Design & Merchandising program in Westphal College.

James D. Gundell, co-chief operating officer and facilitating leader for women’s clothing brand EILEEN FISHER, Inc. will join Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design on April 14 as the 2016 Design & Merchandising Distinguished Speaker.

The lecture will take place Thursday, April 14 at 6 p.m. in the Screening Room in the URBN Center Annex (3401 Filbert St). A reception will follow. The event is free and open to the public. For more information visit drexel.edu/westphal/news-events/events/.

“Jim’s vast experience and approachable spirit will provide a wonderful opportunity and exciting presentation for our students, faculty and community at large,” said Roberta Gruber, head of the Department of Design in Westphal College.

At EILEEN FISHER, Inc., Gundell is co-chief operating officer and a facilitating leader of the executive team responsible for guiding the company and inspiring the integration of the creative, culture and business aspects of the company. In addition, he has direct oversight of EILEEN FISHER’s Retail, E-Commerce, Web, Global, IT, Facilities and Architecture areas, leading more than 750 domestic and global employees.

Gundell has had an extensive career in retail management, including 19 years at Bloomingdale’s, where his last two positions were as general manager of the 59th street flagship store and general merchandise manager for women’s accessories, intimate apparel, and footwear. He also has held positions as president of MoMA Retail, a division of the Museum of Modern Art and division president, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Outlets.

Gundell has been a board member of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York since 2013. Today, the Chapter serves over 29,000 girls ages five to 17 (70 percent of whom come from low-to-moderate income homes) in New York City’s five boroughs. As a native New Yorker, Gundell is committed to this work and the development of the girls the chapter serves. He is also a member of the Global Wellbeing Lab, a joint effort among the Presencing Institute, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Gross National Happiness Centre. This conglomerate brings together an accomplished and diverse group of individuals from business, government and civil society sectors across the world to explore how to positively affect global wellbeing.