Labor & Employment

Indianapolis -- Jones Lang LaSalle said that Rebecca Wells has been named EVP in the company’s Indianapolis office, part of its Capital Markets arm.

In her new role, Wells will work closely with Midwest Capital Markets leader and International Director John Huguenard to expand the firm’s platform of services, focusing on retail and office dispositions in the Midwest.

Wells joins Jones Lang LaSalle from national commercial real estate firm Cassidy Turley, where she served as SVP Institutional Sales Group.

NEW YORK — Hampshire Group, a leading provider of sportswear and fashion apparel, has appointed two new board members, following Richard Mandell’s resignation from the board.

“We’d like to express our appreciation to Dick for his four years of service as a Hampshire board member and we look forward to benefitting from the experience and valuable perspectives that Bobby and Frank will bring to the board,” said Peter Woodward, chairman of Hampshire’s board of directors.

New York -- Another Ron Johnson-appointee and former Apple executive has left J.C. Penney. Ben Fay, who was brought as EVP real estate, store design and development, has left the company, according to the Dallas Morning News. Returning to Penney in an advisory capacity is the chain's former SVP of property development, Tom Clerkin, who took early retirement from the company last year, the report said.

The Senate has voted unanimously to confirm former Walmart Foundation President Sylvia Mathews Burwell as White House budget director, according to a Reuters report.

The report went on to state that the 96-0 vote marks the first time the White House has had a fully confirmed budget director since January 2012, when Jack Lew, now Treasury Secretary, left the position to become Obama's chief of staff.

New York -- The Jones Group Inc. announced Monday that it will put into action a series of events designed to shore up profitability, the most significant of which includes shuttering 170 underperforming stores in the U.S. by mid-2014.

The stores identified for closure include 50 units previously announced in the fourth quarter.

EMERYVILLE, Calif. — Clif Bar & Company has promoted president and COO Kevin Cleary to CEO. In his new role, Cleary will focus on expanding Clif Bar’s growth in the sports nutrition and healthy snacks category while continuing to lead the company’s day-to-day business operations. 

Owners Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford will continue as co-chairs of Clif Bar & Company’s board of directors and become co-chief visionary officers guiding the company’s Five Aspirations business model.

Several key senior leadership changes took effect this week at the nation’s second largest automotive retailer as it looks to narrow the gap with AutoZone.

SECAUCUS, N.J. — Children's Place CFO Michael Scarpa has added COO to his credentials. Scarpa, who oversees finance, information technology, distribution, logistics and wholesale, will add store operations, store development and international to his responsibilities. Scarpa will continue to report to president and CEO Jane Elfers.