OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Washington -- President Obama has selected Sally Jewell, president and CEO of Recreational Equipment Inc., to lead the Interior Department, White House officials said Wednesday.

Jewell, a former banker and Mobile Oil Corp. executive, is an outdoors enthusiast and conservation advocate. She joined the board of REI in 1996, and was appointed COO in 2000. In 2005, she was named CEO. The outdoor retailer expanded significantly under her leadership, and now generates some $2 billion in annual revenues.

Indianapolis -- H.H. Gregg announced that it has launched a “Price Match Guarantee” to ensure that its customers receive the lowest advertised prices on merchandise both in stores and online, for up to 30 days after the date of purchase.

Atlanta -- The Home Depot plans to hire more than 80,000 temporary workers to help customers this spring, some 10,000 more than it hired last year.
   
The move comes as the housing rebound spurs spending on remodeling and landscaping.
 

Bentonville, Ark. — Walmart and Mother Nature Network are inviting people to use Twitter to express their green ideas for the chance to win a $100 Walmart gift card.

New York -- Duane Reade announced that its 250 plus stores are integrating into Niantic Labs' new mobile game, Ingress. The drugstore chain is one of the first retail partners in the New York metropolitan area for "Ingress," which blends the physical and virtual world to create a one-of-a-kind gaming experience.

New York -- Banana Republic is partnering with Match.com to host in-store meet and greet events for the online dating site’s subscribers in key markets, including San Francisco, New York, and Chicago. The partnership is part of the retailer’s newly announced “Love” global marketing campaign.

To further engage consumers, Banana Republic will ask their Instagram and Twitter followers to share photos of hearts for a chance to be featured in a special Valentine's Day album posted on the brand’s Facebook page.


New York -- Aeropostale announced the retirement of president Michael Cunningham, effective March 29. He will remain on the board of directors.

Minneapolis -- Winmark Corp. announced today that the name of its recently launched women's resale brand will be Style Encore. The company also announced that Susan Baustian, formerly the company's brand director for its children's resale franchise Once Upon A Child has been named as the brand director for Style Encore.