For their unyielding commitment to their customers, their employees and this community, the University of Washington Bothell School of Business Retail Management program will honor the Nordstrom family and Nordstrom, Inc. with the 2014 Icons of Retail Award.

Nordstrom got its start as a small Seattle shoe store in 1901. Since going public in 1971, the company has expanded to 260 Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores in 35 states, with net sales of $11.8 billion in 2012.

The company has long been committed to offering its customers the best possible service, selection, quality and value, providing its employees a great place to work and supporting the communities it serves.

UW Bothell School of Business Dean Sandeep Krishnamurthy says he is proud to have Nordstrom as a strong supporter and he feels closely aligned to its mission. “We are inspired by Nordstrom’s deep commitment to open innovation, community building and partnerships with the university,” he says. “Our undergraduate and graduate students get the best of both worlds. They gain valuable tools for retail success from the best in the business, and they learn the importance of being a part of and giving back to the community.”

School of Business faculty Mary Ann Odegaard developed the Retail Management program at UW Bothell and says the company’s strong presence in the community extends to the classroom. “Nordstrom sponsors a merchandise acquisition project for the program every fall that allows students to gain experience in the buying process,” she says. “Every year, we are thrilled to have Nordstrom managers speak in classes, meet with students and provide curricular guidance to the Retail Management Program.”

At the graduate level, students from UW Bothell’s Technology and Leadership MBA programs have formed an interdisciplinary team that is currently working with Nordstrom to investigate the future role of technology in shopping.

The Icons of Retail is an annual event that highlights one of our region’s luminaries in the Pacific Northwest. Last year’s award went to Kemper Freeman.  The event also shines the spotlight on the nationally recognized UW Bothell School of Business Retail Management program, and brings together a select group of CEO’s and industry leaders to interact with students and support the university’s efforts.