Diversity & Inclusion

There is an endless list of adjectives to describe the first six-months of the Trump administration. But one modifier is both accurate and acceptable — and that word is unpredictable.   For context, the first six months of the Obama and Bush administrations were fairly predictable. Both embarked on a legislative agenda that looked and felt a lot like their campaign platforms and while the legislative process for both was rocky, we knew what we were in for. Not so much this time around.  

West Elm is expanding its hotel portfolio — even before it opens its first location.   The retailer, a division of Williams-Sonoma, announced Portland, Maine as the newest location for its West Elm Hotels collection. Expected to open in 2020, the 150 room, full-service boutique hotel  will be developed on Portland’s waterfront by Portland Foreside Development Company LLC, and operated by hotel development and management company DDK, which is West Elm Hotels’ exclusive operator.  

Walmart is making good on its promise to open 200 learning centers by year’s end.   The discounter is planning to open another employee training academy. The new location, which will be in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is expected to open by end of 2017, according to the Argus Leader, a division of USA Today.  

A retail legend has passed.   Costco Wholesale Club announced "with great sadness" that co-founder and chairman Jeff Brotman died Tuesday morning. He was 74.   "The thoughts of Costco’s board, management and employees are with Jeff’s wife and family,” Costco said in a short statement.    Brotman co-founded Costco Wholesale with Jim Sinegal. The two opened the first Costco warehouse club location in 1983, in Seattle.

An industry veteran has been tapped to lead operations at of the nation's fastest-growing fast-casual restaurant companies.    Mod Super Fast Pizza Holdings has appointed  Paul Twohig to the new role of COO,  effective immediately. The appointment comes as the company continues its rapid expansion in the United States and abroad. With Twohig’s arrival, Chris Schultz, former senior VP of operations, will take on the new role of senior VP, international to lead Mod’s development abroad.  

The newest batch of start-ups are making their way to Minneapolis for the second annual Target + Techstars retail accelerator program.   After receiving applications from more than 3,000 technology start-ups — 70% of which had a co-founder who is either female or comes from an ethnically diverse background — Target whittled the list down to 10 finalists for this year’s tech accelerator. Companies range from online advertising to rebates to clothing alterations, and hail from Minneapolis to as far as Belgium.

Wages

Signet Jewelers, which is battling a gender-discrimination class-action case, has named its first-ever female CEO.   Signet announced that CEO Mark Light has retired due to "health reaons."  He will be succeeded by beauty and health veteran Virginia "Gina" C. Drosos, who has served as an independent director of the company’s  board since 2012, effective August 1, 2017.