Diversity & Inclusion

NEW YORK — Build-A-Bear CEO Maxine Clark has joined the Foot Locker board of directors. 

Clark founded Build-A-Bear Workshop in 1997.  She has extensive experience in the retail industry, having also served as president of Payless ShoeSource Inc. and for 19 years as an executive of The May Department Stores Company.

Nashville -- A federal judge in Nashville said Wednesday that Wal-Mart Stores’ female employees in Tennessee and four other southern states cannot pursue sex-discrimination claims against Wal-Mart through a class action lawsuit. The class action is denied because it was filed too late.

According to U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger, the class claims are “time-barred,” citing a 1988 decision by the federal appeals court in Cincinnati in a separate case, known as Andrews v. Orr, which blocks the women from joining a new class action.

ATLANTA — Ingrid Saunders Jones, SVP global community connections for the Coca-Cola Company and chair of the Coca-Cola Foundation will retire after 30 years with the company, effective June 1. 

A well-respected global leader, Jones joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1982 and has held roles of increasing responsibility around the Company’s corporate giving and community outreach. She has served as Chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation since 1991.

CHICAGO — Muhtar Kent, CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, Mindy Grossman, CEO of HSN Inc., and actress and activist Geena Davis will headline an all-star bill at the Network of Executive Women Executive Leaders Forum, July 23 to 25 in Los Angeles. More than 250 senior-level executives from the retail and consumer products industry are expected to attend the invitation-only event.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Stater Bros. has promoted Dan Meyer to the position of EVP retail operations. In this position, Meyer will be responsible for the retail operations of all 167 Stater Bros. Supermarkets as well as overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Corporate Training Center.  

Suffern, N.Y. -- Ascena Retail Group announced it has named Ronnie Robinson to the position of president of Ascena Global Sourcing (AGS).

David Jaffe, president and CEO of the Ascena Retail Group, commented: “Leveraging our sourcing capability across all our brands is an important strategic initiative for Ascena. Ronnie’s experience and accomplishments make him the ideal candidate to lead this effort.”

Irving, Texas -- Michaels Stores has named Chuck Rubin as CEO and a member of the board of directors. Rubin is currently the president and CEO of Ulta Beauty.

Rubin will assume his new roles after a brief period of transition, at which time Michaels will discontinue the “Office of the Chief Executive Officer,” established on an interim basis in May 2012. Charles "Chuck" Sonsteby, a member of the Office of the CEO, will continue as Michaels’ CFO and chief administrative officer.

NEW YORK — Coach announced that Victor Luis has been appointed president and chief commercial officer. Concurrently, he has joined the board of directors. He will become CEO in January 2014. Lew Frankfort will continue as chairman and CE during this interim period and will then become executive chairman.