Diane M. Ellis, a 35-year veteran of the retail industry who ran Chico’s, The Limited and Brooks Brothers, died Friday morning in a tragic car accident. Ellis was 68.

Ellis was driving on Pennsylvania highway Route 36 on her way to an exercise class when a tree fell and landed on the driver’s section of the car, killing her, according to her husband, John W. Ellis Jr. She was alone in the car. Diane Ellis lived in Pleasantville and Pittsburgh, Pa., as well as in Estero, Fla.

“She was just a loving, giving person that did an outstanding job with everything during her career,” her husband said.

“Diane was not only a client but quickly became a friend,” said Elaine Hughes, founder and chief executive officer of E.A. Hughes executive search, a unit of Solomon Page. “She epitomized what Jamie Dimon, JP Morgan’s CEO, has outlined as the key traits of a successful leader. Diane had a strong, unflappable character, she was a disciplined operator, and was never dominated by the insecurities which can endanger those in the C-suite.

“Diane was the ‘compass’ that guided not only her clients when she was consulting, but also those that worked with her at Brooks Brothers, The Limited and Chico’s,” Hughes added. 

Karl Haller, a partner at The IBM Consumer Center of Competency, wrote on his LinkedIn page: “Diane is one of those people who had retail running through her — she had leadership roles at May Company, Brooks Brothers, The Limited and Chico’s, in addition to consulting at PwC and Boston Retail Partners. I had the good fortune of working with Di at three of those places, and I learned so much from her along the way. She was often nontraditional in her approach, and sometimes five to 10 years ahead of where the industry was going. More than anything, Di was a true servant leader. She’s done more for others’ careers, including my own, than anyone I know.”

Ellis was born in Aspinwall, Pa. She began her career as a managing director of retail strategy at PriceWaterhouseCoopers in New York City for more than a decade before becoming a founding partner in 2004 of the Lighthouse Retail Group, a retail strategy and consulting firm, where she remained until 2007.

While in New York, she was appointed Brooks Brothers president and chief operating working alongside the Del Vecchio family for six years, leading such areas as supply chain, sourcing, human resources, e-commerce, IT and full-price and outlet stores.

In 2013, Ellis joined The Limited Group in New Albany, Ohio, serving as CEO and president of The Limited Brand, where she was responsible for driving brand positioning, strategic planning and business transformation.

“Diane’s expertise in consumer behavior, branding and store operations will add energy and momentum to the exciting initiatives underway at The Limited,” Scott King, senior managing director of Sun Capital Partners, which owned The Limited, said when Ellis was hired. Around the time of her departure, the brand was sold by Sun Capital to Sycamore Partners, The Limited’s stores were closed and the brand is currently operated as a private label.

Ellis spent the last two years of full-time employment serving as brand president of Chico’s, based in Fort Myers, Fla., from 2016 to 2018, while living in her home in Estero. As president of the Chico’s brand, she oversaw all business operations including merchandising, planning and the overall omnichannel retail strategy.

Early in her career, Ellis worked at the former Filene’s and Joseph Horne department stores, which were part of the former May Company, as well as Marshall’s, the off-price chain.

In 2018, Ellis was honored by the National Retail Federation as a “Top 3 Power Player Shaping the Future of Retail.”

While working at Brooks Brothers, she became deeply involved supporting the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which she continued to support after leaving the retailer.

Before and during retirement, Ellis was on the boards of Stage Stores and Grove City College, while also engaging in numerous public speaking and advisory roles. In addition, Ellis served as a consultant to retailers, as CEO of the DME Advisory Group, guiding companies on corporate governance, turnaround strategies and digital expansion.

Among her passions outside her family and her career, Ellis enjoyed traveling worldwide, being outdoors, gardening, spoiling pets, attending concerts and art festivals, and cooking dinners at home for family and friends.

In addition to her husband, Ellis is survived by three stepchildren, Jordan Ellis, J. Logan Ellis and Emily Ellis; two step-grandchildren, Owen and Amelia Ellis; a brother, Don Hanlon and his wife Elaina, and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.

There will be no public visitation. Celebrations of Ellis’ life will be held in Pittsburgh and Estero. The dates will be revealed at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Ingomar Living Waters or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.