Labor & Employment

With the proliferation of pop-up stores around the country, it only makes sense that companies would begin to evaluate the kinds of staffing needed for these temporary retail environments. After all, personnel well-suited to a permanent store may not be the best fit for a pop-up.

Specialty retailer Mattress Giant named industry veteran Mike Bookbinder as its new EVP merchandising and marketing. Bookbinder’s name is familiar to those in the world of sleep-related retail, as he spent 11 years with the New York-based Sleepy’s chain where he held various roles including EVP of sales and marketing. He also served as president of City Mattress in upstate New York and most recently was with mattress manufacturer King Koil where he served in a new business development role as SVP sales.

Seattle -- A Monday report by the Wall Street Journal said that Amazon.com on Friday filed a petition to add a measure on the California ballot asking voters to repeal the recently passed California law that requires online retailers to collect sales tax.

Amazon needs to submit 504,760 signatures by late September in order to get the measure on the Feb. 7, 2012 ballot for the next statewide election.

New York City -- Navarro Discount Pharmacy, which currently has 29 stores, has named CFO Juan Ortiz  to the position of CEO.

Ortiz succeeds CEO Steve Kaczynski, whose expertise in retail merchandising and marketing over the last 18 months has been instrumental in setting a strategic direction for the company and expanding its footprint in South Florida and nationally, the company said.

New York City -- On June 17, 2011, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed a bill into law that will limit an employer’s right to prohibit guns and ammunition in the workplace. While the law does not necessarily allow employees to carry firearms at work, it does allow employees to store and have access to firearms kept in privately owned vehicles parked on or in employer provided parking areas.

MIAMI — Regional pharmacy chain Navarro Discount Pharmacy, which currently has 29 stores, has named finance executive Juan Ortiz the company's CFO, to the position of CEO.

Ortiz succeeds CEO Steve Kaczynski, whose expertise in retail merchandising and marketing over the last 18 months has been instrumental in setting a strategic direction for the company and expanding its footprint in South Florida and nationally.

Indianapolis -- Hhgregg announced Tuesday that it will open 10 new stores in south Florida, launching simultaneous grand-opening celebrations on July 14.

The new stores located in Miami, Broward and Palm Beach counties bring the total number of Hhgregg stores in Florida to 33, according to the retailer. The openings are in the communities of Aventura, Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Hialeah, Pembroke Pines, Miami, Plantation, Jensen Beach, East Wellington and West Palm Beach.

Orlando, Fla. — The Network of Executive Women will induct the first group of honorees into the newly created CPG Retail Diversity Hall of Fame on Sept. 19, as part of the organization’s annual Leadership Summit.