PLANO, Texas (Jan. 27, 2009) J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE:JCP) today announced the appointment of Janet L. Dhillon, 46, as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary. She will report to Myron E. (Mike) Ullman, III, chairman and chief executive officer, and join the Company’s Executive Board. Ms. Dhillon, who will join the Company on Feb. 23, comes to jcpenney from US Airways (NYSE:LCC), where she serves as senior vice president, general counsel, and chief compliance officer.

A highly accomplished attorney, Ms. Dhillon spent 13 years at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP before she joined US Airways’ legal department in August 2004. Within two years, she assumed her current position, with responsibility for directing the airline’s corporate governance and legal affairs, including litigation, commercial transactions and legal regulatory matters.

“We welcome Janet Dhillon to our Company. She is an experienced attorney who has deep legal knowledge, leadership skills and great integrity. We are proud that she will be joining jcpenney and look forward to her contributions in further fostering the culture of excellence and teamwork in our legal department and helping us to achieve our business objectives,” said Mr. Ullman.

Ms. Dhillon said, “jcpenney is one of America’s finest companies. I am proud to have the opportunity to lead its very talented and experienced legal team and to work with the Executive Board in positioning the Company for a long and successful future.”

Ms. Dhillon received her undergraduate degree from Occidental College in 1984, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She then spent several years in the insurance industry before attending law school. Ms. Dhillon is a 1991 graduate of UCLA Law School, where she ranked first in her class and was awarded the Order of the Coif.

For further information, contact:

Investor Relations
Phil Sanchez; (972) 431-5575; psanc3@jcpenney.com
Kristin Hays; (972) 431-1261; klhays@jcpenney.com

Media Relations
Darcie Brossart or Quinton Crenshaw; (972) 431-3400;
jcpcorpcomm@jcpenney.com

Corporate Website
www.jcpenney.net


About jcpenney
jcpenney is one of America's leading retailers, operating 1,093 department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as one of the largest apparel and home furnishing sites on the Internet, jcp.com, and the nation's largest general merchandise catalog business. Through these integrated channels, jcpenney offers a wide array of national, private and exclusive brands which reflect the Company's commitment to providing customers with style and quality at a smart price. Traded as "JCP" on the New York Stock Exchange, the Company posted revenue of $19.9 billion in 2007 and is executing its strategic plan to be the growth leader in the retail industry. Key to this strategy is jcpenney's "Every Day Matters" brand positioning, intended to generate deeper, more emotionally driven relationships with customers by fully engaging the Company's 155,000 associates to offer encouragement, provide ideas and inspire customers every time they shop with jcpenney.
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