Rack Room Shoes president and CEO Mark Lardie is kicking off May with a retirement announcement. Lardie has been president and CEO of the private shoe retailer since June 2012. Through it all, he has been an ardent believer in brick-and-mortar and steered the formidable 100-year-plus chain through big changes in the industry. “Today, we recognize and celebrate Mark Lardie as he retires after 14 remarkable years at Rack Room Shoes ,” Rack Room said in a statement on LinkedIn. “Mark’s leadership, steady guidance and commitment to excellence have left a lasting mark on our organization and on so many of us who’ve had the privilege to work alongside him.” In a interview with Footwear News in September 2022, Lardie said: “ Retail is a relentless game. Every morning, across the country, 520 of our store managers will open their stores and start their business again. So there aren’t a lot of chances to pause.…