Influential Women Spotlights Katie McNeil: Leading Merchandising Strategy At PGA TOUR Superstore

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, October 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Experienced Retail Executive Combines Customer Insight, Collaboration, and Continuous Learning to Shape the Future of Sports Retail

Atlanta, Georgia – Katie McNeil is an accomplished retail executive and merchandising leader with more than two decades of experience driving growth, innovation, and customer-focused strategies across the retail industry. As Vice President of Merchandising at PGA TOUR Superstore, she leads a team focused on shaping the future of the customer experience in sports retail, drawing on extensive expertise across merchandising, buying, sourcing, assortment planning, trend forecasting, vendor partnerships, and strategic business development.

Katie’s career began while she was in college, when she worked in retail and discovered a passion for understanding consumer behavior, product development, and the journey from concept to customer. A marketing major at LSU, she initially was not certain what direction she wanted to take professionally. She enjoyed traveling and worked at a hotel, and because she loved shopping, she also worked at a store. Ultimately, retail became the industry where she found her professional calling.

After earning her B.S. in Marketing, Katie joined the Dillard’s Executive Development Program, establishing a strong foundation in merchandising and buying. During her time with Dillard’s, she continued developing her skills while also pursuing her M.B.A. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock through night school. The experience reinforced the importance of education and continuous learning, values that had been instilled in her by her parents.

Following five years with Dillard’s, Katie joined Ross Dress for Less as a buyer and grew alongside the company during a period of significant expansion. As Ross doubled in size, she progressed through increasingly senior leadership positions, eventually serving as Vice President of Merchandising. Her tenure provided opportunities to develop expertise throughout the merchandising lifecycle and to understand how different elements of the business work together to meet consumer needs.

Throughout her career, Katie has maintained a strong focus on the importance of content in buying. From the beginning of her time in retail merchandising, she was taught that the customer needs the right product at the right time. That principle has remained central to her approach for more than 20 years, informing the way she thinks about assortments, consumer expectations, and merchandising strategy.

Today, Katie applies that experience to her role at PGA TOUR Superstore. She combines data-driven decision-making with market intelligence, vendor collaboration, and long-range planning to identify emerging trends and deliver products that align with customer needs. She is passionate about retail and particularly enjoys seeing a vision come to life in stores. For Katie, the process of moving from an idea to an experience that customers can see and engage with remains one of the most rewarding aspects of her work.

Her leadership style is grounded in open-mindedness and a willingness to engage in conversation. Katie credits that mindset with playing an important role in her own career path. Her move into sports retail, for example, came after she agreed to have a conversation about an opportunity despite not being a golfer and having previously worked primarily in apparel. One conversation led to another, ultimately opening the door to her current role at PGA TOUR Superstore.

Katie carries that same philosophy into her leadership. She encourages the people and teams she leads to remain open-minded because opportunities can emerge in unexpected ways. She also emphasizes the importance of staying visible and maintaining connections with people beyond one’s immediate circle. In an industry where professionals can sometimes become isolated within their own careers, she believes continued connection can create opportunities for learning, collaboration, and growth.

As she looks toward the next phase of her career, Katie is particularly interested in staying connected with other women in the retail industry. Her involvement with the Women in Retail Leadership Circle reflects that commitment to maintaining relationships and continuing to learn from others within the field.

Katie’s commitment to learning has also extended into emerging technology. Most recently, she earned an AI for Business Certification from Harvard Business School, reflecting her desire to remain relevant as technology and the retail industry continue to change. Her ongoing education complements the practical experience she has developed throughout her career and supports her interest in understanding how new tools can contribute to the future of business and retail.

Outside of work, Katie enjoys many of the same activities that have long reflected her personality. She loves shopping, which she considers an occupational hazard, and unwinds by watching reality television and reading mystery novels. She also enjoys swimming and spending time around the water, having always felt a natural connection to it. Katie is a proud aunt who enjoys spoiling her nieces and nephews, including a niece who loves her work and sees Katie as the coolest aunt.

With a career built on curiosity, adaptability, education, and a deep understanding of the customer, Katie continues to approach retail leadership with an open mind. At PGA TOUR Superstore, she brings together decades of merchandising experience and a willingness to keep learning, helping her team navigate changing consumer expectations while pursuing new possibilities across the sports retail landscape.

Learn More about Katie McNeil:

Through her Influential Women profile: https://influentialwomen.com/connect/katie-mcneil

Influential Women

Influential Women provides a platform where women from all backgrounds can connect, share their perspectives, and create content that empowers themselves and others. Through storytelling, thought leadership, and creative expression, Influential Women amplifies voices that inspire change.

Editorial Team
Influential Women
email us here