2016 Board Chair Glen Thompson, JCPenney, Outlines Priorities

The Minnesota Retailers Association is pleased to welcome Glen Thompson, store manager at JCPenney in Minnetonka at Ridgedale Mall, as its 2016 Board chair. In his volunteer role Thompson leads a group of 28 Board members from across the state and a staff focused on growing Minnesota’s retail economy and jobs.

Thompson lives in Plymouth and has worked in the retail sector for JCPenney since 1975. Thompson began as a store sales associate in St. Louis, Missouri and has held a variety of positions across the country, settling in his store manager role in Minnetonka in 2003.

“This past holiday season reinforced for me how important a vibrant, diverse retail industry is to Minnesota’s consumers, our communities, and employees. Retailers are an essential part of the state’s economy and I am excited to lead a Board and staff committed to the growth of retail throughout the state. I am pleased to play a role in an association dedicated to protecting and enhancing the one-in-five jobs in our State that depend on the success of retailers,” said Thompson.

Thompson's MnRA priorities for 2016 include:

• Advocate for retail at the Capitol  - we play a critical role in shaping public policy as we work to improve the retail environment in Minnesota.
• Promote and enhance the retail industry - demonstrate the clear value and expertise of the organization to members, potential members, policy makers, and the media.
• Serve our members - inform and educate MnRA’s membership on legislative issues, as well as potential threats and challenges resulting from ever changing and improving technology, criminal activity, and fraudulent acts.
• Promote membership - increase the diversity of MnRA membership through targeted recruiting and grassroots network.

Thompson succeeds Chuck Armstrong who served as Board Chair in 2015 representing Burnsville-based Pawn America. Armstrong resides in Woodbury.

“2015 was a great year for the Minnesota Retailers Association under the leadership of Chuck Armstrong. Chuck made sure we had a strong presence across the state this past year-from Alexandria to Mankato,” said association president Bruce Nustad.  “In addition, Chuck worked hard to help retailers understand how organized retail crime is impacting stores and cultivated new relationships between retailers and law enforcement.”

Thompson’s leadership role began January 1 and runs through December 31.