Diversity & Inclusion

LOS ANGELES — Guess has appointed former Victoria’s Secret executive Sharleen Ernster Lazear as chief design officer, overseeing all product categories for the Guess brands. She will report to CEO Paul Marciano. 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark announced that it was among several national companies represented at an event hosted on Tuesday by President Obama, VP Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden as part of the Joining Forces initiative.

During the event, the administration asked companies participating in the Joining Forces initiative to hire and train 435,000 veterans and military spouses over the next five years, after nearly tripling its original goal of hiring 100,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2013.

Columbus, Ohio -- Discount retailer Big Lots has named David Campisi, 57, as CEO and president of Big Lots, effective May 6. The 30-year-industry veteran most recently served as chairman and CEO of Respect Your Universe, a publicly traded company focused on premium performance apparel and equipment. Prior to that, he was an executive with The Sports Authority for nearly seven years, rising to become chairman and CEO.

Indianapolis -- Simon Property Group announced that it has named Liz Zale as senior VP in a newly created role overseeing corporate affairs and communications, effective May 1.  

Zale's responsibilities will include supervision of Simon’s investor relations, public relations, corporate communications, and government relations functions.
 
She previously served as senior VP investor relations for Nielsen Holdings.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General and Procter & Gamble are teaming up to honor a Florida mom as its official Every Day Hero for the month of May.

New York -- The CEO of Best Buy, Hubert Joly, earned compensation worth $19.6 million in his five months on the job in 2012, the Associated Press reported.  

Joly, a turnaround expert, took the reins of the chain in September. Former CEO Brian Dunn left in April when a board investigation found that Dunn violated company policy by having a "close personal relationship" with a female staffer. Board member Mike Mikan, one of Best Buy’s board members, served as temporary CEO before Joly was hired.

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola’s board of directors has elected Robin Moore as one of the company’s VPs.

Moore, 47, was recently named chief of internal audit, effective May 1, replacing Connie McDaniel who is retiring after 24 years with the company. Moore is currently global director of finance operations in global business services. She began her career with the company in 1995 and has assumed roles of increasing responsibility including senior audit manager in corporate audit and director of financial reporting in the controller’s group.

Atlanta -- Aaron's said that David L. Buck has been named COO. Ken Butler, age 60, will be retiring as COO after a 39-year career at Aaron's effective May 1. He will also resign from the Aaron's board of directors.
   
Buck, age 63, was promoted to senior VP, operations earlier this year. He has risen steadily through the Aaron's management development program during his 24 years with the company.