Consumer Affairs & Relations

New York -- Liberty Media Corp. has entered into agreements to reduce its stake in Barnes & Noble. Liberty Media informed Barnes & Noble that while Liberty has sold the majority of its shares to qualified institutional buyers, it will retain approximately 10% of its initial $204 million investment, which could be converted to a 17% ownership stake.

Ottawa, Canada -- Greg Soussloff has joined 360pi as VP of customer value. Soussloff brings 20 years of sales and sales management experience to this role.

Prior to joining 360pi, Greg was the U.S. senior director for retail and consumer goods for SAS’ Americas division, where he helped in securing enterprise agreements with retailers and consumer goods companies including Macy’s, eBay, Nike, Kellogg, Wal-Mart and Nestle. Soussloff will be located in Dallas, as part of 360pi’s U.S. presence.

Run Jump Throw is the name of new youth activity initiative The Hershey Company will begin next year when its existing Hershey’s Track & Field Games program undergoes a transition.

Premium denim brand True Religion named former top executives from Levi Strauss & Co., and Gap inc., to its board of directors.

The purveyor of premium products said John Anderson and Marka Hansen agreed to serve on its board. Anderson spent 32 years at Levi Strauss & Co, ultimately serving as president and CEO while Hansen previously spent 24 years at Gap and most recently served as president of Gap North America.

Dallas -- AT&T will hire more than 3,000 retail sales and sales management employees nationwide during the next several months. The retailer said the new employees are needed to meet increased customer demand in the company's growing retail business.

By Mike Rozembajgier, VP, Stericycle

Hazardous waste management for retailers and retail pharmacies has entered a critical new phase that may change the rules governing what is considered waste and how to properly dispose of it.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation (NRF) has publicly called Senate legislation aimed at increasing the federal minimum wage by 40% an anti-job tax that would lead to higher labor costs for employers and fewer opportunities for young and entry-level workers. NRF will include votes on the minimum wage as “Key Retail Votes” in its annual voting scorecard used to measure legislative support for the retail industry’s public policy priorities.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. announced that senior VP Robert "Pete" Williams plans to retire in May after 37 years with the company.

Williams, who began his Kroger career in 1977 as a management trainee, has served in his current role since 2007. Currently, he leads seven supermarket divisions. His replacement will be named.