It is with appreciation and admiration for his contributions and commitment to the entire loss prevention community that we announce that Bob MacLea, SVP, Director of Loss Prevention, Marmaxx has decided to retire effective October 1, 2016.
Throughout his 41 years at TJX Companies, Bob has held various positions in loss prevention. He joined Marshalls in 1975 as a guard, and progressed through roles with increasing responsibility before being promoted to Vice President of Loss Prevention in 1988. Bob was promoted to Senior Vice President of Loss Prevention in 2010.
“Under Bob’s leadership, the loss prevention organization developed into the world-class team that it is today. He has been a mentor for many leaders across TJX and the entire loss prevention community, continuously challenging his team to think differently about the challenges facing our business,” says Richard Sherr, SEVP Group President, at Marmaxx. “This led to important innovations as the company grew, including creation of a National Task Force and ensuring a global view on associate safety.”
Beyond TJX, Bob has been a leader in the loss prevention community as a whole. He believes you must be involved with both your community and your profession, and he has lived up to that belief. Bob has served as a member of the Loss Prevention Advisory Council for the National Retail Federation. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Loss Prevention Foundation since its inception, and has also served as part of the Executive Committee and the Audit Committee for LPF, supporting industry certification and the continuing education of the loss prevention community. He serves on the Editorial Board for LP Magazine. He has also played an important role in founding and supporting the Loss Prevention Research Council to help move loss prevention towards a more science-based practice. Bob’s innovation and drive for excellence has raised the bar for loss prevention as an industry.
Over the years, Bob has also given himself to philanthropy, where he’s brought that same passion to his community activities, supporting many TJX initiatives such as the Youth Business Institute, Minority Suppliers, and the NAACP. He has also been an active supporter of the Lazarus House, Big Brother and Big Sister as well as the Making Strides for Breast Cancer.
“I will personally miss Bob’s direct style and his leadership courage,” says Sherr. “We want to thank him for his outstanding contributions to the success of the TJX organization over the years. We will miss him.”
While he will be greatly missed by his extended family throughout the loss prevention community, we also want to wish him well in the next chapter of his life spending more time with his wife Lorraine, his children and grandchildren. Please join us in thanking Bob and wishing him and his family well in his upcoming retirement.
