Nordstrom Appoints Dollar General CFO Kelly Dilts as New Finance Chief

Nordstrom has appointed Dollar General CFO Kelly Dilts as its new finance chief, effective August 29. Dilts was planning to resign from Dollar General due to "another opportunity." She brings three decades of financial leadership experience and a proven track record of driving strong results at large-scale omnichannel retailers. Nordstrom delisted from the NYSE in May and is currently acting as a private company following its $6.25 billion acquisition by the Nordstrom family and El Puerto de Liverpool.

Nordstrom has appointed Kelly Dilts, the former CFO of Dollar General, as its new CFO. Dilts, who is known for her ability to drive operational shifts and soaring stock gains, will join Nordstrom on August 29. This move comes as Nordstrom transitions from a publicly traded company to private ownership following its acquisition by the Nordstrom family and El Puerto de Liverpool.

Dilts brings nearly three decades of financial leadership experience to Nordstrom. She joined Dollar General in July 2019 as SVP of finance and was promoted to EVP and CFO in May 2023. At Dollar General, she oversaw financial planning, procurement, margin planning, decision science and analytics, and investor relations. Dilts has a proven track record of driving strong results at large-scale omnichannel retailers, including Francesca’s Holding Corp.

Nordstrom co-CEO Erik Nordstrom expressed confidence in Dilts' ability to strengthen the business. "Kelly Dilts is a leader with a proven track record of driving strong results at large-scale omnichannel retailers," he said in a statement. Dilts succeeds Cathy Smith, who left Nordstrom in March to join Starbucks as CFO.

Dilts' appointment follows Nordstrom's transition from a publicly traded company to private ownership. In May 2025, Nordstrom delisted from the NYSE and is now acting as a private company. This move allows Nordstrom to focus on its long-term strategic goals without the pressures of public market scrutiny.

Dilts' tenure at Dollar General was marked by significant operational shifts and stock gains. She was instrumental in implementing the company's Back-to-Basics strategy, which helped reduce "shrink," an industry term referring to theft. Dilts also played a key role in Dollar General's decision to eliminate self-checkout options in most of its stores, leading to a reduction in theft and mis-scanned items.

Dilts' appointment at Nordstrom is part of a larger trend of C-suite shifts in the retail industry. Other notable moves this week include the appointment of Brandy Richardson as CFO of Saks Global and the resignation of Karyn Ovelmen as CFO of Newmont.

[1] https://fortune.com/2025/07/18/nordstrom-hires-dollar-generals-turnaround-cfo-behind-stock-surge/