Hudson Group COO Named "Rising Star for 2007" by Chain Store Age

Joe DiDomizio, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Hudson Group, has been selected by the retail publishing giant Chain Store Age Magazine as one of its "Rising Stars" for 2007.

In the January 2007 issue, the magazine featured a special report titled "40 Under 40" - individuals under the age of 40 who are "transforming retailing in the 21st century."

DiDomizio, 36, son of the founder of the Hudson Group Retail Division, Mario DiDomizio, has been with the company for 14 years, starting as an operations manager at LaGuardia Airport. But he really started earlier than that, as a teenager working alongside his father on weekends and school holidays. "I've always had an affinity for retail and the detail behind it," Joe told Chain Store Age, "from establishing consumer interest to driving sales."

During his years with Hudson Group, Joe has led a team that has enjoyed rapid expansion in the travel retail field. Good service and attention to detail have helped Hudson to grow into an organization with more than 500 stores in 70 airports and transportation terminals throughout North America. "There is so much more untapped business throughout the United States and Canada," Joe said. "We are also beginning to explore international opportunities."

The selection process for Chain Store Age's Rising Stars begins with open nominations from professionals in the retail industry and related fields. From those nominees, the magazine's editors select the winners.

"The 2007 Rising Stars compilation is a rich source of talent," according to the article. "We salute this year's stars, all of whom have demonstrated the innovative spirit, resourcefulness and integrity that are the essence of leadership."

Joe noted that Hudson's greatest leadership challenge in 2007 and beyond will be: "Maintaining a consistency that consumers expect of a national brand, while keeping the entrepreneurial spirit among management."