Retail CEO elaborates on 'passion play'

One of the most talked about CEOs in the Tampa area, Mindy Grossman at online retailer HSN, emphatically addressed rumors of her pending departure during the firm's quarterly earnings conference call Aug. 7.

The answer: She's not going anywhere.

“A number of years ago rumors circulated and my quote was that 'reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.' And that has not changed,” Grossman says during the call. “Anyone who knows me knows that my commitment to this business is unparalleled. This is not a job for me. This is a passion play.”

Grossman's response came after a question from analyst Barton Crockett with FBR Capital Markets, who asked the executive to “comment on your desire to stay where you are versus contemplating other opportunities.” Grossman, according to a July 13 Wall Street Journal story, was in “advanced negotiations” earlier this summer with J.C. Penney to fill that firm's vacant CEO position. Grossman was also rumored to have been in consideration to run Target.

Grossman didn't mention any of the specific rumors or places she could have been headed in her two-minute conference call response. “Unfortunately I think it's a sad state that we have so many of these (retail CEO) positions open,” Grossman says, “so the same five people keep being circulated like bad rainwater.”

In rejecting reports she would leave the firm, Grossman adds that her passion isn't only for HSN and her team, but the retail sector where the firm is a global leader. “I love the direct-to-consumer business,” Grossman says. “I love the fact that we're at this cross section of media, entertainment and commerce.”