Diversity & Inclusion

The Canada served up to Americans when they visit the country’s pavilion at Disney’s Epcot Center in Orlando is one of lumberjacks, lakes and abundant wildlife roaming virgin forests. While those elements exist, according to Jeff Doucette, a resident of Calgary in the Western province of Alberta and founder of the strategic consulting firm Sales Is Not Simple, the Canada portrayed at the Disney resort is far removed from the average Canadian’s daily existence and the marketplace Target will enter in 2013.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Lowe’s announced that it has named Eric Wiseman, president and CEO of apparel manufacturer VF Corp., to its board of directors. Wiseman will serve on the board’s compensation and governance committees. 

Wiseman has been CEO of VF Corp., whose brands include The North Face, Timberland, Vans and Wrangler, since January 2008. Before being named CEO, Wiseman served as president and chief operating officer from 2006 to 2007, responsible for VF’s global business and day-to-day operations.

BENTON HARBOR — Whirlpool Corp. is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a number of local events and recognition of employees throughout the world.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target, along with The Heart of America Foundation, The Mission Continues and hundreds of volunteers,  announced that it will celebrate the unveiling of newly renovated libraries at Jack Kimbrough Elementary in San Diego on Nov. 10, and Camp Allen Elementary in Norfolk, Va. on Nov. 11. The unveiling events will honor Veterans Day and mark the conclusion of the 2011 Target School Library Makeover program, which included the transformation of 42 elementary school libraries.

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — The Walmart Foundation has announced a two-year $750,000 grant to Veterans Green Jobs. With this funding, Veterans Green Jobs will connect with 1,000 veterans through its training and employment initiatives and place many of those veterans into full-time green sector jobs, the foundation reported. This is the latest commitment under the Walmart Foundation's recently announced five-year, $20 million giving initiative aimed at combating the high veteran unemployment rate.

PHILADELPHIA — Urban Outfitters Monday announced leadership changes at Anthropologie, Terrain and Urban Outfitters.

David McCreight has been appointed CEO Anthropologie Group, effective Nov. 15. In this new role, McCreight will be responsible for Anthropologie North America, Anthropologie Europe and BHLDN.

City of Industry, Calif. -- Hot Topic Inc. said that its CEO, Lisa Harper, 52, has also been named its board chairwoman.

Former chairman Bruce Quinnell will stay on as chairman of the audit committee, but he will not seek re-election to the board when his term ends in June, the company said.

The company also said Matthew Drapkin was named lead director.
 

Wayne, N.J. — Toys"R"Us has named the leadership team for its retail business operations in Southeast Asia and Greater China, following the recent announcement of its new joint venture agreement with Li & Fung Retailing. With this agreement, the existing Toys “R” Us business operations in the region, which had previously been licensed, are now majority owned and controlled by Toys “R” Us.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot announced that it has released its third annual Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) catalog, which highlights select HUB suppliers and an assortment of more than 1,600 items ranging from safety and medical supplies to staplers and technology products.

The HUB catalog features Office Depot’s complete assortment of products sold by HUB vendors and is available to Office Depot’s Business Solutions Division (BSD) customers.

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — Pet Supplies Plus, the third-largest pet specialty retailer in the United States, announced that Harvey Solway, executive chairman of the company, is retiring effective Dec. 31.

Solway, 60, began his twenty-year career with Pet Supplies Plus as EVP and general counsel and served as the company's CEO from January 1993 through June 2011. Solway led PSP through its formative years and was instrumental in growing the business to its 92 corporate and 159 franchise stores today, the company reported.