Labor & Employment

CAMDEN, N.J. — Campbell Soup Company has appointed Ed Carolan as president of U.S. retail and Tim Hassett as SVP and GM of Away from Home and as chief customer officer of Campbell North America. Both will report to Mark Alexander, president of Campbell North America.

Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot has filed a presentation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which the retailer says demonstrates the importance of shareholders electing its board’s nominees at the company’s annual meeting on Aug. 21.

NEWARK, Del. — The Produce Marketing Association has appointed Cathy Green Burns as the association’s president, effective December 1, as part of its continued restructuring of the senior leadership team. 

In her new role, Green Burns will focus initially on leading board and staff team development as well as lending her insight to business development activities. She will report to PMA CEO Bryan Silbermann, who previously held both president and CEO positions.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Judge Charles R. Breyer of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California has ruled against a request by plaintiffs in a gender discrimination suit against Wal-Mart who were seeking certification of a class-action suit against the mass merchandise giant. Referring to a 2012 Supreme Court decision about limitations on class-action suits, Breyer ruled that the individual situations of the plaintiffs are too different to be grouped into a single class-action suit.

Broomfield, Colo. -- TCBY Yogurt and Mrs. Fields Cookies parent Famous Brands International said it has appointed Michael Chao as CFO, effective immediately.  

Chao was previously VP finance, treasury and investor relations for Vail Resorts.

Famous Brands also announced the reappointment of David Barr to its board of directors. Barr, who is currently chairman of the board for Rita Restaurants and Australian jewelry company The Jewellery Group, was CFO and CEO of the Great American Cookie Co., which was sold to Mrs. Fields in 1998.

Strong sales of chicken and beef pushed Tyson Food’s sales to record levels during the third quarter ended June 29.

The world’s largest protein producer attributed the growth to a combination of volume and price increases. Total sales increased 5.7% to $8.7 billion while profits from continuing operations grew to $249 million, or 69 cents a share, from $76 million, or 22 cents a share.

By Colleen A. Conry, Jane D. Goldstein, Natalie Logan and Alicia Suarez

On April 24, 2013, 1,127 people were killed when Rana Plaza, a garment manufacturing complex in Savar, Bangladesh, collapsed. This tragedy highlights the working conditions that may exist in Bangladesh and other countries. It also draws attention to the challenges faced by U.S. companies that want to conduct their business in an ethical and socially responsible way, particularly when operating through third-party suppliers in foreign countries.   

Staying on top of emerging supply chain trends is critical in today’s global marketplace. Understanding current trends enables us to stay relevant, remain competitive and manage our businesses proactively, rather than reactively.