Labor & Employment

Carrollton, Texas -- TGI Fridays is looking for a new chief executive.

The company announced that Nick Shepherd recently informed the Fridays’ board of his decision to step down as president and CEO, citing that he believes the time is right to pass the torch to a new leader to steer the 50-year-old brand through its next chapter of growth.

Shepherd will continue to actively lead the business through mid-October, and will be working closely with Fridays chairman of the board, John Antioco.

Boston – Massachusetts will have a tax holiday the weekend of Aug. 15-16, if the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) has anything to say about it. The ICSC has sent a letter to Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker asking him to sign the sales tax holiday legislation currently on his desk.

Boston – When it comes to managing records and information, retailers are surprisingly lax compared to members of many other industries.

According to a new study from enterprise information management provider Iron Mountain, just one in three retail businesses have a records and information manager.

A veteran retailer with experience in running big national chains has joined City Sports as its new chief executive.

Ahold USA has become the first major grocery retailer to join an initiative requiring Florida tomato suppliers to increase farmworker pay and protect workers from forced labor and sexual assault.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers announced Wednesday that Ahold USA is America's first major grocer to join the group's Fair Food Program. Ahold USA is the parent company of Stop & Shop, Giant Foods of Landover, Giant Foods of Carlisle, Martin's and online grocer Peapod.

North Bergen. N.J. - Vitamin Shoppe Inc. hired David M. Kastin as senior VP, general counsel and corporate secretary effective Aug. 17. Kastin will be responsible for overseeing all internal and external legal matters of the company and will serve as corporate secretary to Vitamin Shoppe's board of directors.  

Plano, Texas – Reductions in labor hours and store expenses, as well as a sourcing and distribution initiative, helped boost profit at Rent-A-Center Inc. in the second quarter of fiscal 2015. Net income rose 31% to $23.15 million, from $17.68 million the same quarter a year earlier.

Consolidated revenue also performed well, growing 6% to $815.34 million from $768.43 million. Consolidated same-store sales increased 7.5%, aided by especially strong performance in Mexico stores.

Boston - Conrad Lauten has joined Gordon Brothers-AccuVal, the valuation division of Gordon Brothers Group, as director, business development. Lauten will oversee the group serving Alabama; Florida; Georgia; Kentucky; Mississippi; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee and Virginia.