Diversity & Inclusion

SAN FRANCISCO  -- Levi's announced it has appointed Laurie Etheridge as the global lead of women's merchandising and design.  As SVP women's merchandising and design for the Levi's brand, Etheridge will be responsible for the design, development and merchandising of all of Levi's women's product categories across all its regions. Etheridge joins the company from Perry Ellis International where she leads merchandising and design for women's global fashion brands, including Jantzen, Jag, Perry Ellis and Southpoint.

MINNEAPOLIS -- After all the flak it got for its political contributions -- even losing a deal with Lady Gaga over it -- Target this year was still recognized as one of the world's most ethical companies.

From win-win to lose-lose. Do enough deals with different celebrities and sooner or later one of them is bound to blow up. That’s what happened to Target last week when entertainer/singer/gay rights advocate Lady Gaga had a change of heart regarding a prior commitment with Target.

CHICAGO -- The Network of Executive Women,  the consumer products and retail industry’s largest diversity organization, has announced leadership changes. Joan Toth has been named president and CEO of the Network of Executive Wome. She has held the title of executive director since shortly after the Network was founded in 2001.

The Network’s top elected official--Michelle Gloeckler, SVP merchandising execution at Walmart Stores--has been named Network chair. She had previously served has president

Chicago -- Jones Lang LaSalle said Friday that Cedric Thurman has joined the firm’s Corporate Retail Solutions practice. As senior VP, Thurman will focus on enhancing the firm’s ability to deliver profit-enhancing strategies to meet the retail industry’s growing demand for strategic outsourced real estate services.

Thurman is based out of Jones Lang LaSalle’s Chicago office, reporting to Lew Kornberg, managing director, Corporate Retail Solutions.

NEW YORK — In what appears to be a case of back-pedaling to alleviate concerns of her devoted fanbase, Lady Gaga's deal to sell a special edition of her upcoming album at Target is off.

There have been dozens of books written about Walmart, but none from the perspective of Ron Loveless. He is an Arkansas native from a small town who was hired by Walmart founder Sam Walton in 1964. His first job was that of stock boy, but he would go on to hold positions of increased responsibility in operations and merchandising and was the executive charged with opening the first Sam’s Clubs in the early 80’s. Loveless retired in 1986.

Shareholders of Wal-Mart de Mexico elected three new female board members at the company’s annual meeting yesterday, bringing to six the number of women on the company’s eleven-member board.

The new members include Shelley Broader, chief merchandising officer of Walmart Canada, Olga Gonzalez, Walmart’s VP audit services for Latin America and Kristin Oliver, SVP people for the Walmart International division. Other women on the board include Cathy Smith, Blanca Trevino and Kristin Oliver.