Labor & Employment

Seattle -- Online jewelry retailer Blue Nile announced that CEO Diane Irvine has resigned from the company, effective Nov. 11.

Vijay Talwar, senior VP and general manager of international, has been appointed interim CEO. During the transition period, chairman Mark Vadon will take an active role in the leadership of the company, working closely with Talwar. Vadon will also lead the search for a permanent CEO.
 

Garden City, N.J. -- Sabre Real Estate Group said that Beth Lamport has joined the firm as executive VP.

Previously a director at Breslin Realty, Lamport also was a broker at Polimeni Realty and spent more 20 years as a marketing executive at Federal Department Stores, which owned Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Filene’s and Stern’s and now is known as Macy’s Inc.

Target said it plans to close stores in Broomfield, Colo., Raleigh, N.C., Orlando and Portland by the end of its fiscal year in late January.

City of Industry, Calif. -- Hot Topic Inc. said that its CEO, Lisa Harper, 52, has also been named its board chairwoman.

Former chairman Bruce Quinnell will stay on as chairman of the audit committee, but he will not seek re-election to the board when his term ends in June, the company said.

The company also said Matthew Drapkin was named lead director.
 

New York City -- The president and CEO of Aaron's Inc. has resigned.

Robert C. Loudermilk, the son of the company's founder, announced his resignation Friday afternoon. In a statement, the appliance and furniture-rental company said Loudermilk was leaving due to health reasons. He also resigned from Aaron's board of directors.

Ronald W. Allen, former chairman and CEO of Delta Air Lines, will serve as Aaron's interim president and CEO.

Suffern, N.Y. -- Ascena Retail Group announced that John Sullivan has been appointed executive VP and COO.

In this newly created position, Sullivan will be responsible for information technology, distribution, and human resources information systems across all brands. Prior to joining the company, he served as executive VP and CIO for QVC.
 

New York City -- A truck driver who slipped and fell on ice and grease while he was making a delivery to a Walmart store in northern Colorado can collect a nearly $10 million award after the state Supreme Court upheld a jury verdict in the case on Monday, the Associated Press reported.

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp.’s fiscal fourth-quarter profit jumped nearly 29%, beating Wall Street estimates on strong sales around the globe. The company earned $358.5 million in the quarter, up from $278.9 million last year. Revenue rose 7% to $3 billion, with some benefit from foreign exchange rates. Same-store sales increased 9%, with a 10% rise in the United States.