Diversity & Inclusion

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Ikea helped out young people transition out of foster care by donating 110 bags filled with Ikea products.

The Ikea "starter kits" included sheets, a comforter, pots and pans, towels and other in-home necessities.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Books-A-Million has named Mary Jane Karwoski as VP human resources. Karwoski will be responsible for overseeing employee relations, compensation, benefits, training and development and recruiting for Books-A-Million.

“I am excited to welcome Mary Jane to the BAM team. Her impressive experience has well prepared her for this leadership role, and I know she will keep the best interest of our thousands of dedicated associates as her top priority,” said Terrance Finley, CEO and president of Books-A-Million Inc.

NEW YORK -- Nordstrom has joined such other Washington-based retailers as Starbucks Coffee Company and Amazon.com in coming out in support of  approving Referendum 74, a Washington state ballot measure that seeks to affirm same-sex marriage with voters. (In July, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie, pledged $2.5 million in support of the measure.)
 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — AutoZone has elected Enderson Guimaraes to its board of directors.

Guimaraes is CEO of PepsiCo Europe, a role he assumed in September 2012, and is responsible for PepsiCo's food and beverage businesses in Continental Europe as well as the United Kingdom and sub-Sahara Africa. "

Enderson's exceptional international operations experience will benefit AutoZone greatly. We are fortunate to have him as a new board member," said Bill Rhodes, chairman, president and CEO.

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market has announced two new locations for Manhattan. The company said it plans to open a 39,000-sq.ft. store in the city’s Harlem neighborhood in 2015. The supermarket will be located in the middle of the area’s business district, on 125th Street and Lennox Avenue.

NEW YORK — Tiffany & Co. is shifting and expanding responsibilities for two executive vice presidents, Beth Canavan and Frederic Cumenal.

Cumenal joined Tiffany in March 2011 from the LVMH Group. He has been responsible for Tiffany’s businesses in Asia, Japan, Europe and Emerging Markets. Effective immediately, Cumenal will expand his role to assume responsibility for all of Tiffany’s worldwide sales activities.

New York -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will not face class-action gender-discrimination claims in a federal court lawsuit in Texas, Bloomberg reported. U.S District Judge Reed O’Connor has dismissed the Texas class complaint, finding that the lawsuit was filed too late.

The suit, which alleged the retailer discriminated against women in pay and promotions in the company’s Texas region, sought to represent all women hourly and salaried workers, below store managers, employed by Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club in the region.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart is looking for five interns for a new program designed to provide opportunities to Hispanic women.