Finance & Capital Management

The proliferation of gift cards has spawned the creation of unique app that can help retailers unlock the value of unspent gift cards.

The proliferation of gift cards has spawned the creation of unique app that can help retailers unlock the value of unspent gift cards.

Stein Mart’s board of directors has appointed D. Hunt Hawkins and Brian R. Morrow to share the newly created office of the president. Both men will continue to report to CEO Jay Stein.

"Hunt and Brian have made significant contributions in the success of the company," said Stein. "Their promotions are a testament to their leadership that has built a team that has produced seven consecutive quarters of comp store gains, a dramatic departure from the achievements of past management, and reflect the confidence the board and I have in them."

Goal Zero, innovator of portable solar power systems, has appointed former REI SVP of merchandising Lee Fromson to president and COO.

The company has also made strategic changes to its executive team, with current president and CEO Joe Atkin assuming the role of co-chairman of the board, and founder and chief creative officer Robert Workman becoming CEO.

Petco has named Larry Rutkowski as EVP and CFO.

"Larry is a highly accomplished executive with a proven track record of successful financial leadership for both public and privately-held companies," said CEO Jim Myers. "His unique skillset and experience in a diverse array of industries will serve us well as we continue to advance Petco's leadership position in pet specialty. We're thrilled to add Larry to our executive team."

Eastman Kodak Company has named Eric-Yves Mahe as SVP and director of sales strategy and operations. The board of directors also has elected Mahe a corporate officer of Kodak, making him a member of the company’s executive council.

In this newly created role, Mahe will be responsible for formulating a strategy to drive and measure sales of Kodak’s portfolio of hardware, consumables, software and services. Mahe also will advise Kodak’s senior management team on software, OEM partnerships and the sale of complex solutions.

The Estée Lauder Companies have named Christopher C. Giglio as VP, corporate global communications. He will report to Alexandra C. Trower, EVP, global communications.

Miramar, Fla. - Elizabeth Arden has reportedly hired Goldman-Sachs Inc. to help contact private equity firms and other possible buyers. According to Bloomberg, Elizabeth Arden is undergoing a sales process but has not made any definitive deals and may not wind up selling itself.

The move to hire Goldman-Sachs comes after reports indicating that South Korean CPG firm LG Household & Health Care Ltd. was considering a takeover bid for the retailer.

Toronto - OfficeMax Grand & Toy, an affiliate of Office Depot, Inc., will close all of its 19 Canadian retail stores. OfficeMax Grand & Toy will continue to service its business customers via the company’s e-commerce website, customer service centers and direct sales representatives.

Washington, D.C. - The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged a former executive with insider trading in advance of EBay’s acquisition of the e-commerce company GSI Commerce where he worked, by tipping friends and relatives with confidential information about the pending deal so they could attain more than $300,000 in illegal profits.