Content about Management

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Co. has appointed Deverl Maserang as executive VP leading the company’s global supply chain organization, effective June 3. He will be accountable for end-to-end supply chain operations globally spanning manufacturing, engineering, procurement, distribution, planning, transportation, inventory management and worldwide sourcing.

Maserang joins Starbucks from Chiquita Brands International, where he led the Global Value Chain for Chiquita and Fresh Express.

St. Petersburg. Fla. – HSN Inc. said Wednesday that it has appointed CFO Judy Schmeling to the additional role of COO, effective immediately. Schmeling has been serving as HSN's executive VP and CFO since 2001.

In her new role, Schmeling will be responsible for supply chain operations and customer care functions, in addition to providing ongoing leadership for finance and IT.

Managing labor remains one of a retail company's biggest challenges — and most untapped opportunities. JDA Software's Scott Welty talks about workforce management trends with Chain Store Age.

What are some common mistakes retailers make when it comes to managing labor?

Minneapolis — Supervalu has elected Rite Aid chairman, president and CEO John Standley and Cerberus COO and general counsel Mark A. Neporent to its board of directors.


Standley has spent the past 20 years in executive leadership roles in the grocery and pharmacy retail business. He became Rite Aid Corporation’s president and COO in September 2008, was appointed to the Rite Aid board of directors in 2009 and was named CEO in June 2010. He was elected chairman of Rite Aid’s board of directors in June 2012.

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Company announced that it has appointed Matthew Ryan as global chief strategy officer. Ryan was previously SVP of global brand, franchise and customer relationship management for The Walt Disney Company.

New York — The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index remained steady in February primarily as a decline in initial unemployment claims and a rise in real average hourly earnings offset negative forces.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. has made two e-commerce acquisitions aimed at expanding its presence in the growing cooking and kitchenware market. The retailer said it has acquired CHEFS Catalog and assets of Cooking.com in two separate transactions.  

By Oren Betzaleli, EVP, head of product and marketing, Retalix

As smartphones and tablets continue to infiltrate the market, they are increasingly changing the way people interact with each other, receive information, and expect to be served by retailers and service providers. As a result, more and more retailers are starting to offer self-service mobile applications as a popular means to manage customer interaction and relationships.

Retailer-Owned vs. Consumer-Owned Self-Service

Columbus, Ohio -- The Limited has established an interim “Office of the President” to manage the day-to-day operations of the business while it searches for a new CEO. The retailer said that its chief executive, Linda Heasley, who joined in 2007, is stepping down to pursue other interests effective Feb. 15.
   
The interim office will be filled by three current executives, John Buell, EVP and CFO; Nicolas Frechette, SVP and general merchandise manager; and William Acevedo, SVP of stores; who will report to the board of directors.

Salt Lake City -- Overstock.com said Tuesday that chairman and CEO Patrick Byrne will take a leave of absence for medical reasons. Company president Jonathan Johnson will assume Byrne’s CEO duties during the leave, although Byrne will remain chairman of the board.

Byrne, in recent years, had undergone various procedures regarding cardiac issues that may stem from his earlier episodes of cancer, and his leave of absence is associated with these cardiac issues.

Dallas -- Alliance Data Systems Corp. announced Thursday that its Canadian loyalty business signed a new multi-year agreement with Staples Canada Inc., which operates about 330 locations under the banners Staples and Bureau en Gros.

Staples Canada joined Alliance’s Air Miles Reward Program, under which reward miles are redeemed for more than 1,000 different rewards. The retailer will launch the program in-store and online in March.

Roseville, Calif. -- Family Dollar Stores is renewing its software contract with Revionics, which provides end-to-end merchandise optimization solutions, the supplier announced. The multi-year agreement will extend the retailer’s services with Revionics’ price optimization solutions, with Family Dollar leveraging Revionics’ solutions in each of its more than 7,600 stores in 45 states.