Finance & Capital Management

TOPEKA, Kan. — Matthew Rubel is stepping down as CEO of Collective Brands, the company announced Thursday. Rubel will also give up his role as chairman of the board and as a director for the company. Michael Massey has been named the interim CEO and Scott Olivet has been named the company's non-executive chairman.

New York City -- Macy's and some 4,000 of its New York-area workers said Thursday they have reached a tentative contract agreement after a night of negotiations.

The agreement, if ratified, will avert what could have been the department store chain's first strike in nearly 40 years.

"Following an all-night negotiating session, Macy's is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with Local 1-S of the RWDSU on a new five-year agreement," Jim Sluzewski, Macy's spokesman, said.

Walmart Canada president and CEO David Cheesewright is scheduled to speak next week at the Jefferies 2011 Global Consumer Conference near Boston. Walmart doesn’t typically push country presidents on stage at investor conferences except at its own analysts’ meetings when it has hosted events overseas in such places as China earlier this year or prior years in Brazil and the United Kingdom. However there are some interesting things going on in Canada these days, and the Jefferies event is an opportunity for Walmart to showcase some of its management talent.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Pier 1 Imports reported Thursday that its fiscal first-quarter profit nearly doubled, rising to $14.1 million, compared with $7.7 million in the prior year period.

Revenue increased 9% to $334.6 million from $306.3 million. Same-store sales rose 10.2%.

HERSHEY, Pa. — Just one month after filling in as the interim leader of chocolate giant Hershey, John Bilbrey officially took the reigns as president and CEO of the company.

Bilbrey also was elected to Hershey's board of directors, Hershey said Wednesday. Bilbrey, who served as the company's EVP and COO until May, replaced David West, who exited left his post after 10 years to become the chief executive at Del Monte Foods.

Washington, D.C. -- Eighty percent of building owners expect double-digit energy-price increases during the next year, causing owners to set an average energy reduction target of 12%, according to Johnson Controls’ fifth annual global Energy Efficiency Indicator survey.

HOUSTON — Men's Wearhouse has named Douglas Ewert president and CEO of the company, succeeding George Zimmer.

As previously announced, Zimmer will continue as executive chairman of the board of directors.

Zimmer stated, "I am excited to turn over the day-to-day reins of Men's Wearhouse to Doug. I know he has the same passion for this company and its people as I do. With him leading our efforts, we will continue to provide the highest level of service to our customers and our unique culture will thrive."  

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Thursday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates said that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to remain at about the same levels as last year through July before starting to resume increases later this summer.