Labor & Employment

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has appointed Dan Bartlett, former senior counselor to George W. Bush, as its EVP of corporate affairs. Bartlett was most recently president and CEO of the U.S. arm of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, a global business advisory firm serving corporations, nonprofits and associations in 52 countries.

DALLAS -- PeopleAnswers has announced a five-year software licensing agreement for The Bon-Ton Stores to use the PeopleAnswers HR-focused business solution to improve its in-store employee sales performance while lowering employee turnover.

LENEXA, Kan. — Balance Innovations, a provider of reconciliation and cash office management solutions for the retail industry in the United States and Canada, has named former Safeway executive Steve Rempel president and CEO. 

In this role, Rempel will lead the company as it further develops its core products and evolves to the next generation of cash office reconciliation solutions for the retail industry.

Minneapolis – Best Buy reported a net loss of almost 10% for first quarter fiscal 2014, seeing its revenue drop from roughly $10.34 billion the prior year to $9.38 billion. Increased price competition and the closure of 49 large-format stores contributed to the electronics retailer’s decline in revenue. A shift in the Super Bowl, which typically drives TV sales, to the prior quarter and reduced non-core sales also impacted revenue.

MINNEAPOLIS — Store closures and a shift in this year’s Super Bowl affected Best Buy’s results for the 13-week period ended May 4. 

Cincinnatti -- Macy’s plans to close a store located in downtown St. Louis at the Railway Exchange Building on Olive Street, with a final clearance sale beginning Sunday, June 2 that is expected to last about 10 weeks. Macy’s plans to continue operating its other eight stores in the Greater St. Louis area.

SAN DIEGO — Walmart, Sam’s Club and Operation Homefront kicked off their nationwide series Saluting Heroes Together with a community-wide military appreciation event in San Diego on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18. 

The event was the first in a series of tributes the organizations are hosting across the country to honor men and women who have or are currently serving, as well as their families.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Bruce G. Bodaken, former chairman, president and CEO of Blue Shield California, been named to the Rite Aid Corporation board of directors. Bodaken, 61, served with Blue Shield for 18 years, including 12 in his most recent role, and currently serves as director and audit committee chairman of WageWorks, Inc. He is also a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Value & Science-Driven Health Care.