Former Target Corporation Merchandising Executive is Colorado State University’s Executive-In-Residence March 30

A former Target Corporation merchandising executive with 30 years of experience in driving growth in established retail business will speak as Colorado State University’s Department of Design and Merchandising first Executive-in-Residence March 30.

Winnie Willcox will present "From Retailing to Accelerating New Ventures: The Journey of an Executive Entrepreneur" at 7 p.m. in Ammons Hall on the Colorado State campus.

Willcox, a Colorado State alumna, brings 30 years of entrepreneurship and retail and merchandising business experience to the university. She is currently the founder, partner and board member of Liknon Inc., a unique business accelerator for emerging businesses. Prior to founding Liknon, Wilcox pioneered several innovative and successful retail marketing campaigns during her 15 years as a merchandising executive with the $33 billion Target Corporation. She globally marketed branded and private-label products in 10 merchandising categories.

"We are extremely pleased to welcome Winnie Willcox, whose career path from retailing through entrepreneurial business offers students a wealth of ideas for launching and succeeding in a career with a degree from Colorado State," said Mary Litrell, head of the Department of Design and Merchandising at Colorado State.

Willcox has served as the vice president of business development for U.S. operations of a successful Japanese e-commerce payment infrastructure business. She shaped the breakthrough strategy for the U.S. market, defined the target consumer, merchant and distributor markets and forged solid relationships with merchants and distributors. Willcox also co-founded an innovative U.S. based e-commerce company.  

For more information about the Department of Design and Merchandising Executive-in-Residence program, contact Kendra DiMatteo at (970) 491-7890 or send e-mail to kendra.dimatteo@colostate.edu.

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