J. C. Penney Company, Inc. announced that Shawn Gensch, a highly accomplished executive with 25 years of experience in marketing and finance, has been named executive vice president, chief customer officer, effective June 3, reporting directly to Jill Soltau, chief executive officer. He will be responsible for driving aggressive customer-centric strategies to grow traffic, engagement and customer retention in addition to revitalizing the company's brand, leading marketing initiatives across all channels, shaping the company's messaging and delivering an outstanding digital experience and increased customer loyalty. In this role, Gensch will oversee all aspects of the Company's marketing strategies and initiatives including digital, advertising, creative design, customer research, loyalty, analytics and insights, social media, sales promotions and planning, and events marketing to deliver an integrated brand experience across all customer touchpoints. Gensch joins JCPenney from Sprouts Farmers Market where he served as chief customer officer, overseeing their brand and category marketing strategy, digital marketing, guest insights, customer relations, advertising, social media, private label brand strategy, and public relations in support of its nationwide stores and ecommerce operations.