Howie Hanson is Minnesota’s Columnist, writing about power, money, sports and civic life across the state. This column is sponsored by Lyric Kitchen . Bar of Duluth.
George Goldfarb has been named chief executive officer and chairman of Maurices as the Duluth-based retailer announced an administrative update to its governance structure.
The company said the change does not affect ownership, operations, strategy or leadership continuity.
Maurices has been backed by the same private equity fund and group of investors since 2019, and that ownership structure remains in place. The transition involves a change in the advisory firm supporting the fund. OpCapita will step aside as its founder pursues other opportunities, with advisory responsibilities shifting to Torpen Capital.
As part of the transition, Chris McDermott will continue to support Maurices through Torpen Capital. McDermott has been connected to the brand since 2019, providing oversight and strategic guidance.
Goldfarb will continue to lead day-to-day operations while also chairing the board, maintaining responsibility for company performance and direction. The leadership team, operating model and strategic priorities remain unchanged, the company said.
“Chris’s continued involvement ensures stability and deep continuity during this transition,” Goldfarb said in a statement. “This change does not alter how we operate, how we serve our customers, or how we execute our strategy.”
He added that from an operational standpoint, “nothing changes,” describing Maurices as financially strong and focused on executing its plans.
The company said customers, partners and employees should expect no disruption as a result of the transition.
