Labor & Employment

Robert Adler was named acting chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to fill a position vacated by former chairman Inez Tenenbaum.

Adler joined the CPSC, an agency that exerts tremendous influence over the consumer packaged goods and retail industries, in 2009 when he was appointed by president Barack Obama. Prior to his appointment Adler served on the Obama Transition Team and and co-authored a report on the CPSC for the administration.

Fast Retailing’s Uniqlo USA division named a new CEO with a familiar name to lead what is expected to be an accelerated growth plan.

Uniqlo elevated existing COO Lawrence Meyer to the role of CEO to lead is 17 unit U.S. operation roughly one year after he joined the company. In his new role, Meyer will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Uniqlo brand and be responsible for the ongoing development of the company retail footprint in the U.S.

New York -- Uniqlo, a division of Japan’s Fast Retailing, announced the promotion of Lawrence (Larry) H. Meyer to CEO of Uniqlo USA.
 
Meyer left his post as executive VP of Forever 21 to join Uniqlo in January 2013 as COO. Prior to Forever 21, he served as CFO of Gymboree.

In his new role, Meyers will oversee the day-to-day operations of Uniqlo and hold responsibility for the ongoing development of the company’s retail footprint in the USA.
 

Los Angeles -- John Dawson has been named president and CEO of coffee and tea retailer Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, charged with accelerating the chain’s plans for global growth.

Dan Sullivan was elevated to the role of CFO at Ahold USA following the departure of Paula Price.

Price spent nearly five years there, but decided to take her career in a new direction, according to a statement by the supermarket operator, subsidiary of Netherlands-based Royal Ahold and owner of the Stop & Shop and Giant Food Stores chains. Price will lecture at a leading university on leadership and technical topics related to her unique business journey in addition to complementing her existing corporate and non-profit board positions, according to the company.

Newport Beach, Calif. -- Engaged Capital, an investment firm specializing in small and mid-cap North American equities and beneficial owner of approximately 400,000 shares of the common stock of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. sent a letter to the company’s board of directors on Dec. 3. In its letter, Engaged Capital highlighted the upcoming expiration of Abercrombie chairman and CEO Michael Jeffries’ employment contract on February 1, 2014 as an opportunity for the board to set a new direction for the company.

Greek Yogurt leader Chobani hired 18-year Procter & Gamble finance executive Dipak Golechha to serve at its CFO reporting to founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya.

Golechha replaces former Chobani CFO James McConeghy who stepped down in November, the company said. His successor Golechha spent the past 18 years in finance roles at P&G including CFO of the company’s global snacks division.

New York -- Investor Engaged Capital LLC has urged Abercrombie & Fitch to start a search for a new chief executive officer and consider selling the company, Bloomberg reported. The company owns less than 1% of the retailer’s shares outstanding.