Nicole Lord was named Vice President, Merchandising for Now Optics in October 2019. As the head of merchandising, she develops and oversees the company’s strategic vision and planning for its product portfolio including new product development, sourcing, and innovation.  

Lord has nearly 20 years of experience in the retail industry. Prior to joining Now Optics, she held progressive roles at Office Depot, Inc. for 13 years in several merchandising functions including category management, global sourcing, product development, and brand management. Lord additionally supported Office Depot’s private brand business in a prior role at Daymon Worldwide, where she served as Director of Business Development for four years. 

In her most recent position as Senior Director, Private Brand Development and Management for Office Depot, Inc., she defined and executed the growth strategy of 15 exclusive and license brands across retail, digital, and B2B channels. Under her direction, her team launched numerous brands and product lines, led the innovation pipeline, and drove the trend advisory and design functions across the company’s brand portfolio. 

As Marketing Director of Arts, Education, and Health Science for Kaplan Higher Education, for two-and-a-half years, she created and executed integrated marketing campaigns supporting student enrollment and retention. 

Lord began her career in merchandising as an Assistant Buyer at Neiman Marcus. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Boston College. 

Lord is a mother of two. She was raised in Florida and is a beach lover who enjoys spending time with family and friends.