If Apple retail vice president Jerry McDougal was on the short list to head up the company's retail efforts, that list might now be even shorter. McDougal took off from Apple last week, says IfoAppleStore. Citing sources, the blog -- which has obsessively tracked Apple's retail goings-on -- says McDougal plans to spend more time with his family, a move that puts him out of the running to replace John Browett, whom Apple fired last October. The blog goes on to say that McDougal was effectively the "right-hand man," of former Apple retail chief Ron Johnson. Johnson left Apple after a decade in 2011 to become the chief executive of JC Penney and was replaced by Browett, who came from U.K. electronics retailer Dixons. McDougal's departure was confirmed by Apple to AllThingsD, along with a statement noting that McDougal has been replaced with 15-year Apple veteran Jim Beam, who previously headed up the company's finance group.