Last founding family member to run Neiman Marcus
Richard Cantrell Marcus, who as the last founding family member to run Dallas-based Neiman Marcus led the company at a time of a major expansion outside Texas, has died at his home in Austin from complications associated with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He was 84.
Marcus, the chairman and CEO from 1979 to 1988, was one of only three family members to be the retailer’s chief executive, succeeding his father, Stanley Marcus. The luxury retailer was founded in 1907 by Stanley Marcus’ father, Herbert Marcus Sr., and aunt Carrie Marcus Neiman, along with her husband, A.L. Neiman.
“Richard was a power, a great contributor and a sweet man in the world outside of Neiman Marcus,” said Morton H. Meyerson, a longtime friend and former EDS and Perot Systems CEO.
The Meyersons were in a couples group with Marcus and his wife, Susan Russell Marcus, and they took two-week hiking trips annually for more than 20 years.
Leonard Lauder, son of the Estee Lauder founders, said Marcus did everything with class.
“Richard stepped into his father’s shoes and he did an equitable job,” Lauder said. “Everything he did was thoughtful and direct. There were no smoke and mirrors.”
Marcus’ daughter, Catherine Marcus Rose, speaking for herself
and her brother, Charles Marcus, said it was unusual for a father of his generation who also was a busy CEO to be “supportive, encouraging and respectful.”
“My brother and I are extremely grateful to have had a father who was as encouraging and involved in our lives as he was in spite of his very full commitments to Neiman Marcus when we were growing up,” Rose said. “We always felt that he was our No. 1 cheerleader, and I understand he treated his work associates at the store, and in other endeavors, in the same way.”
Former Neiman Marcus executive Billy Payton, who worked both under father and son and watched Marcus rise through the company, said Marcus cut his own path.
“He was a people person and a great leader who was always growing our executive talent and ran the company during our largest expansion years,” Payton said.
Neiman Marcus had grown to 19 stores in nine states by the time Marcus stepped down a year after the business, which at that point was owned by Los Angeles-based Carter Hawley Hale Stores, was spun off as a public company. It was 60 percent owned by General Cinema.
His tenure overlapped the last of the great Fortnights, huge celebrity-attended annual events that included a society gala and filled the downtown store with fashion, art and food representing countries. Fortnights exposed shoppers to other cultures at a time when people didn’t travel like they do now.
The Neiman Marcus’ Incircle loyalty program, which started under Marcus’ tenure, continues to encourage customers to keep spending at Neiman Marcus almost 40 years later.
“Incircle was truly the first retail rewards program of any kind, and those customers became the most important customers to the company,” said Karen Katz, the Neiman Marcus CEO from 2010 to 2018.
Marcus joined Neiman Marcus in 1962 after graduating from Harvard University.
He was born on Oct. 2, 1938, to Stanley and Billie Marcus. He was preceded in death by his twin sister, Wendy Marcus Raymont, in 2019. He is survived by his wife, Susan; daughter Catherine in Dallas, husband Will and grandsons, Alex, Charlie and Jack Rose; son Charles Marcus in Austin, partner Barbara Frisbie and granddaughter, Sofia Lodato; and sister Jerrie Marcus Smith.