Amidst all the headlines throughout March about the closing of Neiman Marcus’ downtown Dallas store – including the most recent ones about the reprieve the historic site had been given to stay open through this year’s holiday season – the luxury retailer received the news that Burton Tansky, former CEO of Neiman Marcus Group, died March 16 age 87.
Tansky, known as “Mr. Luxury” in retail circles, led the company for nearly a decade before stepping down in 2010, The Dallas Morning News reported, with his tenure as CEO seeing major growth with more stores — and annual sales reaching $4.6 billion before the recession dragged sales. Under his management, the company was taken private in 2005 in a deal led by Warburg Pincus and TPG Capital.
Tributes to Tansky were numerous. The obituary for Tanksy in Women’s Wear Daily, for instance, contained several reminiscences of people who worked with him. Typical was the comment from Jim Gold, CEO of Moda Operanda and formerly president and chief merchandising officer of the Neiman Marcus Group, and Bergdorf’s president and CEO: “When he arrived at Neiman’s in 1994, Neiman Marcus Group was partially committed to luxury brands and price points. When he retired 16 years later, NMG was the preeminent luxury department store company in the world. Burt saw where the customer and industry were heading long before others did, and he took us there through his strength of will. He had the rare mix of being visionary, passionate, driven and demanding, while also being funny, warm, supportive and a true gentleman. He lit up a room and was an incredible leader and friend.”
In one of his interviews with WWD over the years, Tansky himself said, “I liked the action at retail. I liked the momentum, the interaction with people.”
Tansky was the child of immigrant parents and was raised in Pittsburgh, according to WWD’s obituary. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and considered going to law school before entering the retail business via the training program at regional department store chain Kaufmann’s. “I always worked,” Tansky said. “I needed to get going.”
And work he did. In addition to his time at Neiman, his career includes stints at I. Magnin, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Ave.
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The Morning News noted that his death comes months after Saks Global acquired Neiman Marcus, which includes Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th. It was in the aftermath of that deal that Saks unveiled the now-delayed decision to shutter the downtown Neiman Marcus store that was a symbol of the chain’s influence. Tansky’s tenure was another such symbol.
