Labor & Employment

Chico's CEO David Dyer, who laid "the foundation for global expansion," will retire next spring, the company announced.

Chicago – Real estate investment trusts (REITs), which represent a sizable share of retail real estate activity, are worried about possible increases in interest rates. According to a report by consulting firm BDO USA LLP, 97% of REITs mention risks related to increases in interest rates and hedging.    This is up from 90% in 2014 and 88% in 2013, according to the 2015 BDO RiskFactor Report for REITs, which analyzes the most recent SEC 10-K filings for the 100 largest publicly traded REITs in the U.S.

The Fresh Market says its planned exit from California led to higher costs and lower profit in the first quarter, but analysts say the company may be in trouble.

New York – Increases in selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses and interest expenses helped increase net loss at New York & Co. to $4.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 from $300,000 the same period a year earlier. The growing loss occurred as sales improved 2% to $223.4 million from $219.6 million, and same-store sales rose 1.8%.

Former Sears and Walgreens finance executive Atul Kavthekar is joining LivingSocial as CFO to help execute the e-commerce company’s ongoing re-invention strategy.

The CEO of Lumber Liquidators has resigned just a few months after the company became embroiled in an investigation over wood products imported from China.

The company said Robert Lynch resigned “unexpectedly” and that it intends to commence a national search for Lynch's replacement. In the interim, Thomas D. Sullivan, the company's founder, will serve as the acting chief executive officer of the company.

New York – Robert Lynch, CEO of embattled Lumber Liquidators Holdings, has unexpectedly resigned as the Justice Department seeks to file criminal charges for the company’s allegedly selling Chinese hardwood laminate products that had illegal levels of formaldehyde. In a brief statement, Lumber Liquidators gave no reason for Lynch’s departure.

Tampa, Fla. -- Ashley Furniture Industries announced that it is establishing, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Ashcomm LLC, its U.S. e-commerce headquarters in Ybor City.

The headquarters office will occupy 70,000 sq. ft. of space in Centro Ybor in the heart of Tampa’s historic business and entertainment district. It will eventually house more than 100 employees in executive, administrative, marketing, design, and information technology positions for both the e-commerce business as well as other Ashley corporate operations.