Labor & Employment

Curbing the rising cost of utilities can improve the bottom line

For multi-site retail companies, energy efficiency makes business sense. It allows retailers to reduce cost and risk, and create good will with investors, employees, customers and the government. Ultimately, it also helps improve the bottom line.

When it comes to energy management, reducing operating cost should be the focus where the cost of energy is a sizeable part of operating the business.

Mars has announced a number of leadership changes, which include the departure of Todd Lachman, current president of the company's global pet care division.
 
Lachman, who has been with the company eight years, will be leaving at the end of 2014 to relocate his family to San Francisco. Poul Weihrauch has been named as his successor, effective Jan. 1. Weihrauch is currently global president of Mars Food and also has accountability for Mars drinks and European multisales. He has been with Mars for 14 years, working in multiple categories.
 

The Pep Boys president, CEO and director Mike Odell has resigned. Director John Sweetwood has been named interim CEO, effective immediately.

Sweetwood has served on Pep Boys’ board of directors since 2002 and is currently the president of Woods Investment, LLC, a private real estate investment firm. Sweetwood is the former president of the Americas Six Continents Hotels (currently Intercontinental Hotel Group), which operates hotels under the InterContinental, Crown Plaza, Holiday Inn and other brands.

Dublin, Calif. - Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in Southern California, on Oct. 11. The store is located in the La Mesa Center in the city of La Mesa, a suburb of San Diego.  

This new opening is part of the retailer’s 2014 expansion program, totaling approximately 75 new locations during the year. 

Defining the scope of a CFO’s oversight is challenging because it’s still evolving. Besides the overarching responsibility of overseeing and reporting finances, the role now often includes strategic planning, technology and investor relations.

New areas of reporting, including corporate social responsibility and environmental performance, are also being added.

Litigation in Delaware could disrupt how retailers manage programs

Coach has announced that executive chairman Lew Frankfort plans to retire upon his term’s expiration. He will not stand for re-election to the board at the company’s annual meeting of stockholders in November.

The company intends to bestow upon him the honorary title of chairman emeritus at that time.

Dallas – The Container Store has hired Pete Lodwick as VP and general counsel. Lodwick will lead both internal and external teams responsible for legal strategy, regulatory affairs, and corporate compliance.

Prior to joining The Container Store, Lodwick practiced for 34 years at the Dallas-based law firm Thompson & Knight in the corporate and securities department.