Longtime Shoe Show Chief Operating Officer Jay Manning Retires

Jay Manning, the longtime chief operating officer at Shoe Show, Inc. is set to retire later this year.

In announcement on LinkedIn on Friday, the North Carolina-based retailer noted that Manning would be leaving the company on Nov. 2 after 40 years.

Manning began his retail career in 1977 as a sales associate and, later, management with Mercantile Stores in Montgomery, Ala. While working his way through college at Auburn University at Montgomery, he developed a passion for the footwear business.

After graduating with a degree in business administration, majoring in management, Manning was promoted to buyer and relocated to Albany, Ga. He remained with Mercantile Stores until joining Shoe Show, Inc. in 1986 as a buyer for the recently acquired six-store chain known as Burlington Shoes. That acquired chain later became known as the Shoe Dept.

In 1994, Manning’s responsibilities expanded into what became the chief operating officer role, where he has provided leadership and guidance across store operations, logistics, and numerous strategic initiatives.

And with Manning’s exit, the company has named Cathy Pryor to file the COO role.

Pryor began her retail career in 1985 with Robby’s Sports in Florida, serving as store and district manager.

In 1988, she joined Hibbett Sports, where she built a 32-year career marked by continuous advancement through increasingly senior leadership roles. She progressed from district manager to director, vice president of store operations, and ultimately senior vice president of store operations and executive officer.

Throughout her tenure, Pryor played a pivotal role in driving operational performance, expanding the company’s footprint, to over 1,000 stores, developing top talent, and executing transformational initiatives that strengthened the organization’s competitive position.

This is the latest management change for the privately held shoe retailer. In April, the company announced that Chase Tucker would take on a new leadership role at Shoe Show Inc., the company founded by his grandparents Robert and Carolyn Tucker.

Tucker, representing the third generation of family leadership, took on the role of senior vice president of merchandising on July 3 — succeeding John Walker upon his retirement. Tucker will help steer merchandising strategy and support ongoing team development.

Walker had been with the company for more than 21 years as the Shoe Dept. women’s athletic buyer before he became senior vice president of merchandising in March 2022.