NRF, Retail Industry Leaders Call Off Merger
The National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) have ended previously announced merger discussions.
“Following a deliberative process, RILA and NRF have ended discussions aimed at merging the two organizations. NRF and RILA will devote all resources to continuing the work they are each doing to address the serious issues that America’s consumers and retailers are facing in today’s economic environment,” said the two boards of directors in a joint statement.
In an open letter to NRF members, organization president and CEO Tracy Mullin added “There is no plan for the two groups to merge at this time—or for the foreseeable future.”
Mullin continued, “At this point, it looks like my retirement has been put on hold. I will continue to serve at the pleasure of NRF’s Board of Directors and, while I do dream of the beach, I can honestly think of nowhere else I’d rather be than in our offices in Washington.”
If RILA managers wrote a similar letter to its membership, it was not available on the organization’s Web site.
