Labor & Employment

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — Whirlpool announced it has been named to the 2011/2012 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the seventh consecutive year. In 2011, the company's centennial year, Whirlpool was named to both the World and North America lists. The DJSI tracks the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide.

Savannah, Ga. -- Citi Trends said Friday that it would cut jobs and open fewer stores than it planned in an effort to save money after losing $10 million in the second quarter. The company said it would open new stores only where it had already made commitments, resulting in about 55 new locations in 2011 and five in 2012.

The company also said it would cut 40 jobs at its stores, distribution centers and corporate offices in Savannah, Ga.

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners has announced the hiring of Brian Hollenback as a VP in the Denver office. 

Hollenback has been involved in over 2,000,000 sq. ft. of ground-up retail developments and has completed over 125 pad transactions throughout the Colorado market. He also has represented numerous national and regional retail and restaurants concepts as well as a variety of shopping center owners and developers in leasing their shopping centers.
 

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Stater Bros. has promoted its senior regional VP.

The Southern California-based supermarket chain said that Dan Meyer, a 41-year company veteran, has been promoted to the newly created role of SVP retail operations. In this capacity, Meyer will be responsible for the retail operations of all 167 Stater Bros. stores, as well as overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Corporate Training Center. Meyer will report to George Frahm, EVP retail operations and administration.

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) thanked California Governor Jerry Brown for signing legislation that would help level the playing field between online-only retailer Amazon.com and brick-and-mortar stores across California.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target's entry into Canada is nearing completion, as the company Friday finalized its real estate transaction with Zellers Inc. with the selection of 84 additional Zellers leases, bringing the total number of leases selected, including an initial group of 105 leases selected in May, to 189. From this second group, Target has acquired the leasehold interests for 29 locations, the vast majority of which will open as Target stores beginning in 2013. The remaining leases have been or will be sold to other Canadian retailers or back to landlords.

Montreal -- Jewelry chain Birks & Mayors said Wednesday that its president and CEO Tom Andruskevich has said he will resign from the company, effective spring 2012, and will continue in a new board role as vice chairman.

His spring 2012 resignation is contingent upon the naming of a successor. He said he is leaving because he wants to pursue “board positions and advisory roles for luxury brands and other high-end companies.”

Andruskevich joined the company in his current capacity in June 1996.
 

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us announced that it plans to hire more than 40,000 employees to staff its U.S. stores and distribution centers this holiday season, as the company anticipates another busy Christmas across all of its shopping channels. This number is in line with previous years, when the company hired between 35,000 and 45,000 seasonal workers. Throughout the coming months, the company said it will continue to assess its staffing needs and add more employees, as necessary.