Labor & Employment

Washington, D.C. -- Wal-Mart Stores announced that it has created a $10 million fund to support manufacturing in the United States. In a joint announcement, Kent International, a New Jersey-based bicycle maker and one of the chain’s suppliers, said  that it will move its production from overseas to Clarendon, S.C.

Wayfair, the largest online retailer of home furnishings and décor, has appointed Christiane Lemieux as executive creative director.

In her new role, Lemieux, previously founder and creative director of DwellStudio, will provide creative vision and counsel across the company’s growing portfolio of home brands, including Wayfair.com, AllModern, Joss & Main and DwellStudio. Lemieux will be responsible for developing new creative initiatives for Wayfair in the coming year.

New York -- Kmart will shutter two locations in the Philadelphia area this spring, Philadelphia Business Journal said. The locations, at The Gallery and at 900 Orthodox St., will close in late April.

Haier America president and CEO Shariff Kan has stepped down and will be replaced by Adrian Micu, effective Feb. 10, according to the company.

Micu comes to Haier with more than 25 years of executive-level engineering, technology and product development experience within the appliance industry. Most recently, he held the position of VP engineering with Whirlpool Corporation.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Sears Holdings Corporation anticipates hiring 6,500 veterans and military spouses in 2014. The hiring goal builds on the more than 6,000 veterans and spouses hired in 2013, and nearly doubles the 3,500 hired in 2012.

The company currently employs more than 30,000 veteran associates, many of whom are still serving in the National Guard and the Reserve forces.

Target is the latest major retailer to announce it will stop offering health insurance to its part-time employees. In a company blog post on Jan. 21, Target said it will no longer provide health insurance coverage to part time workers after April 1.

Pittsburgh -- American Eagle Outfitters said that CEO Robert Hanson, would leave the company, effective immediately. He was appointed to the position in late 2011, after 23 years at Levi Strauss & Co., where he served in a number of executive roles.

Similar to many other teen retailers, American Eagle has been struggling. The company reported a profit of $24.9 million in the three months ended Nov. 2, compared to $78.6 million in the year-ago period. Revenue was $857.3 million, a decline from $910.4 million a year ago.

Plano, Texas – J.C. Penney Co. released its 2013 Sustainability Report, outlining sustainability initiatives pursued during fiscal year 2012 ended Feb. 2013. Highlights of the report included:

• Stores and Operations: Through the company’s energy conservation efforts, J.C. Penney has received Energy Star certification in more than 500 locations and earned the Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award for five consecutive years.