Labor & Employment

Brussels, Belgium -- Delhaize Group has signed an agreement with Tropic Group B.V. to divest all of its 39 Bosnian & Herzegovinian stores. Tropic Group B.V. is an entrepreneurial organization founded by retail executive Bojan Risović.

The transaction is expected to complete in third quarter 2014, subject to regulatory approval and working capital adjustments. Terms were not disclosed. Delhaize originally purchased the stores from Serbian retailer Delta Maxi in 2011.

Toano, Va. -- Lumber Liquidators is expanding its board of directors from eight to nine members with the appointment of Nancy M. Taylor as a Class III director effective April 1. Taylor currently serves as the president and CEO of Tredegar Corp., serving in such roles since January 2010, and is a member of Tredegar's board of directors.

After 37 years with Kroger, Robert Williams is stepping down from his role as SVP of operations in May.

Williams has served in his current role since 2007 and oversees seven of Kroger’s supermarket divisions. His successor was not immediately named.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Bicycle retailer BikeStreet announced the appointment of former Hhgregg executive VP & COO Gregg Throgmartin as CEO. With 17 shops opened since the brand’s founding in 2012, BikeShop aims to acquire and/or open nearly 1,000 shops across the nation under Throgmartin’s leadership.   
 

Austin, Texas -- Whole Food Market will purchase four stores from New Frontiers Natural Marketplace. The stores, which average 22,000 sq. ft., are located in Flagstaff, Prescott and Sedona, Ariz.; and San Luis Obispo, Calif. The two companies expect the transaction to be finalized in the next few weeks.

The stores will continue to operate under the New Frontiers Natural Marketplace banner until they are re-signed as Whole Foods Market stores.

Global business advisory firm AlixPartners has been hired by Men’s Wearhouse to aid in the integration of its recent acquisition of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers.

Toy maker Jakks Pacific secured a $75 million credit facility from GE Capital.

The nine year old company based in Malibu, Calif., plans to use proceeds for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes as needed.

The nation’s largest egg producer, Cal-Maine Foods, named Wil Webb to a new role as vp of operations.

Webb will be responsible for the company’s extensive production facilities in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi and reports to Cal-Maine COO Sherman Miller. Webb has been employed with Cal-Maine Foods since 1997 and most recently served as general manager of the company’s operations in Edwards, Mississippi.

Phoenix -- PetSmart on Friday celebrated the opening of a new distribution center in Berks County, Pa.

The new facility will bring an estimated 500 jobs to Berks County by the end of 2016. The 870,000-sq.-ft. DC will serve 25% of PetSmart’s stores in eleven states, handling and delivering consumables, hard goods and fish to 170 PetSmart stores in 2014 and more than 260 stores by 2015.

New York -- H & M, Hennes & Mauritz AB opens its first Hawaii store in Waikiki on March 28. The store features a one-of-a-kind installation featuring artwork of local surf photographers Mike Coots, Sarah Lee and Zak Noyle.

The Waikiki store has hired 160 local employees.