Diversity & Inclusion

NEW YORK — Coty has promoted Catherine Walsh to the newly created position of SVP of corporate communications. The company will look to Walsh to help strengthen its global brand-building efforts.

NEW ALBANY, Ohio — In an effort to clean up its image following CEO Mike Jeffries' controversial comments regarding the type of people he would prefer to see donning his clothing, Abercrombie & Fitch is launching an anti-bullying campaign and college scholarship program.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — The TJX Companies' shareholders elected Dawn Lepore to its board of directors at the company’s annual meeting. Lepore joins 10 ongoing directors who were re-elected at the meeting.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club CEO Rosalind Brewer announced the launch of a collaborative program supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs in 25 cities. The Grow Your Business Boot Camp series offers hands-on training seminars backed by a funding commitment of $500,000 from Sam's Club.

PHOENIX — PetSmart's board of directors has named Gregory P. Josefowicz its non-executive chairman. Josefowicz has served as a director since 2004 and as lead director since 2006.

Chairman and CEO Bob Moran will not stand for election as a director at the company’s 2013 annual stockholder meeting. As previously announced, David Lenhardt, current president and COO, will become the CEO of PetSmart at that time.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. -- The Wet Seal announced today that retail veteran Lesli Gilbert has been appointed executive VP, stores and operations, effective immediately. Gilbert replaces Barbara Cook, former senior VP store operations, who resigned in February.

Most recently, Gilbert was senior VP of stores at The Talbots, where she was responsible for developing the stores strategy and framework to reposition the business

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar Stores names Brad Rogers as senior VP real estate. He replaces Keith Gehl, who retires from the company at the end of June.
   
Rogers joined Family Dollar in 1998 as a real estate manager with responsibility for new store development in North and South Carolina. Between 2006 and 2011, Rogers assumed greater roles with increased responsibilities, and in 2011, he was named VP real estate.

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.

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."

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced a $15 billion share buyback program at its annual shareholder meeting on Friday. It also said it expects to generate $10 billion in global e-commerce sales by the end of the fiscal year.

The new buyback program replaces the previous $15 billion plan, which had about $712 million remaining under the 2011 authorization.