New Blow for Whitehall as Chairman Patinkin Dies

Troubled Whitehall Jewellers has been hit by a new blow with the death on Wednesday, apparently by a heart attack, of Chairman and CEO Hugh Patinkin, 54.

Whitehall directors moved quickly to appoint Daniel H. Levy as interim Chairman and Lucinda (Cindy) M. Baier as interim Chief Executive Officer. Baier was appointed as President and Chief Operating Officer in December.

Whitehall has gone through a string of senior management changes over the past year, an inquiry by federal authorities and legal proceedings over Capital Factors’ claim it was defrauded by several companies, naming Whitehall in a lawsuit.