Consumer Affairs & Relations

SALT LAKE CITY — Overstock.com has promoted Brian Popelka to the position of SVP of customer and partner care. Formerly VP of customer care, Popelka will establish and maintain relationships with the company's drop-ship fulfillment partners, in addition to his previous duties.

Under his direction, the customer care department has repeatedly ranked in the top four of the former NRF Foundation/American Express Customer Choice Awards and earned the Gartner Gold Award and the 2011 Stevie Award for customer care.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores  held its annual shareholders meeting on Friday morning and the most noteworthy development at the event — aside from a $15 billion share repurchase authorization — was a surprise appearance and glowing comments by Hollywood heavyweight Tom Cruise.

Vancouver, British Columbia -- Lululemon Athletica Inc. on Monday said that its CEO, Christine Day, will step down when a successor is named. The announcement comes some three months after Lululemon, in an embarrassing and very costly snafu, had to pull 17% of its trademarked Luon pants from its store shelves after they were found to be too sheer.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Family Dollar has named Brad Rogers as the company's SVP of real estate. Rogers replaces Keith Gehl, who announced his retirement from the company at the end of June. Rogers will report to chairman and CEO Howard R. Levine.

Hordes of spend-happy young Mexican shoppers are successfully attracting specialty apparel retailers from the U.S. and Europe – and, as mentioned in a recent report by Wall Street Journal, Walmart is feeling the pain.

INDIANAPOLIS — Kroger central division employees working at Kroger stores in the Indianapolis area have ratified a new four-year labor agreement with UFCW Local 700.

HOUSTON — One World Holdings has appointed Wilma Delaney, former VP of federal, state and provincial governmental and regulatory affairs for Dow Chemical, to its board of directors.

"We are very pleased to welcome Wilma to the One World board," said Joanne Melton, CEO of One World Holdings. "Wilma brings deep expertise in corporate governance and global market expansion that will prove invaluable as One World continues its growth trajectory."

Salt Lake City – Overstock.com has promoted Brian Popelka to the position of senior VP, customer and partner care. Popelka, who previously served as VP of customer care, will take on management of Overtock’s drop ship fulfillment partnerships along with his existing responsibilities for strategic direction and operational effectiveness of customer care.