Consumer Affairs & Relations

Walmart China CEO Greg Foran reiterated the company’s goal of accelerating Sam’s Club growth in the coming years with several published reports indicating the pace of Sam’s Club openings may eventually reach 10 units annually.

Fort Myers, Fla. – Chico’s FAS repurchased approximately 6.7 million shares of its common stock, for approximately $125 million, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, completing all but $55 million of its existing share repurchase authorization. The Chico’s board of directors has cancelled the remainder of its March 2013 share repurchase program and approved a new $300 million share repurchase authorization for the company's common stock.

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Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Cesar L. Alvarez, co-chairman of the international law firm of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, has been elected to membership on the Sears Holdings board of directors.

Alvarez joined Greenberg Traurig in 1973. Prior to his appointment as co-chairman, Alvarez served the firm as its executive chairman for more than three years, and as its CEO 13 years. Prior to becoming CEO in 1997, he practiced securities, corporate and international law for more than 25 years.

Boston – Massachusetts retail price scanners reportedly operate at a 99.8% accuracy rate. According to the Associated Press, the Massachusetts Division of Standards checked scanners at 98 different stores of 50 retailers across a wide range of verticals and discovered five overcharges out of about 2,800 individual price scans.

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has added Ajani Stewart to its sustainability team within the RILA legal department.

Stewart will be leading the development of RILA’s Center for Retail Compliance (CRC). RILA recently received funding to develop the CRC, a Web-based resource for retailers and stakeholders in the industry to access solutions and information for maintaining and achieving environmental compliance. Stewart is responsible for the development of the center.

Washington, D.C. – The Washington, D.C., city council has reportedly unanimously approved an increase in the city’s minimum wage to $11.50 per hour in 2016, up from the current hourly rate of $8.25. According to Reuters, after being raised to $11.50 the minimum wage would then be indexed to inflation.

A search is underway for a new CEO to lead Dorel Industries recreational and leisure products segment following the departure of Robert Baird.

Until a replacement for Baird is named, Peter Woods, CFO of the recreational and leisure segment, will serve as CEO. Baird joined Dorel as president of the recreation and leisure segment in 2008 as part of a reorganization after previously serving in a senior leadership role at Philips Electronics. He also held key roles as companies such as Samsonite, Scott Paper, Bristol Myers and Procter & Gamble before arriving at Dorel.