Labor & Employment

CHICAGO — The International Foodservice Manufacturers Association honored ConAgra VP of strategic projects William J. Caskey with the trade association’s newly established Distinguished Foodservice Executive Award.

Caskey received the award for his dedication to the foodservice industry and his service on the IFMA board of directors during the National Restaurant Association Show week in Chicago, Ill. 

Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot Inc. and OfficeMax Incorporated have selected The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to provide integration support for the two companies’ pending merger. BCG will provide a dedicated onsite support team and work with management from both companies to establish a detailed integration plan and establish an overall vision and priorities for the merger.

Cincinnati – Former CEO A.G. Lafley, 65, is returning to Procter & Gamble in his former position. Lafley is assuming the role of CEO, president and chairman of the board immediately, and will replace current CEO Bob McDonald, who is retiring June 30. Procter & Gamble has been involved in restructuring efforts, including thousands of layoffs, for the past year and a half.

New York -- Consumer confidence climbed to the highest level in more than five years, according to The Conference Board. The group’s closely-watched sentiment index rose to 76.2 in May, the highest since February 2008, and up from a reading of 69.0 in April.

The expectations index jumped to 82.4 in May from 74.3 in April to mark the highest level in seven months. The present situation index rose to 66.7 from 61.0. The share of consumers expecting more jobs to open in the next six months increased to a five-month high.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has pleaded guilty to charges that it inappropriately transported and disposed of common consumer products, such as bleach and fertilizer, while reiterating that the misdemeanor violations of certain environmental laws occurred years ago and had no specific environment impact.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Quantum Health has appointed former Express executive Elliott R. Tobias as the company’s VP of human resources.

Merrimack, N.H. -- Brookstone announced the appointment of William E. Watts as the company's new executive chairman of the company's board of directors, effective immediately.

Watts has been a partner of J.W. Childs Associates since June 2001. Previously, he was president and CEO of GNC from 1991 until 2001.