Labor & Employment

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp.’s fiscal fourth-quarter profit jumped nearly 29%, beating Wall Street estimates on strong sales around the globe. The company earned $358.5 million in the quarter, up from $278.9 million last year. Revenue rose 7% to $3 billion, with some benefit from foreign exchange rates. Same-store sales increased 9%, with a 10% rise in the United States.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — OfficeMax announced that it has appointed Jim Barr as EVP and chief digital officer, effective Nov. 14. Barr will report to Ravi Saligram, president and CEO of OfficeMax, and will be responsible for all aspects of the company's e-commerce business and for driving its multi-channel digital strategy.  

Barr has been working with the OfficeMax e-commerce business in an advisory capacity since July 2011 to assess the opportunities for the business and develop a strategy to maximize its potential.  

Wayne, N.J. — Toys"R"Us has named the leadership team for its retail business operations in Southeast Asia and Greater China, following the recent announcement of its new joint venture agreement with Li & Fung Retailing. With this agreement, the existing Toys “R” Us business operations in the region, which had previously been licensed, are now majority owned and controlled by Toys “R” Us.

Wayne, N.J. – Toys “R” Us has named the leadership team for its retail business operations in Southeast Asia and Greater China, following the recent announcement of its new joint venture agreement with Li & Fung Retailing. With this agreement, the existing Toys “R” Us business operations in the region, which had previously been licensed, are now majority owned and controlled by Toys “R” Us.

Naperville, Ill. -- OfficeMax announced that it has appointed Jim Barr as executive VP and chief digital officer, effective Nov. 14. Barr will be responsible for all aspects of the company's e-commerce business and for driving its multichannel digital strategy.

Barr has been working with the OfficeMax e-commerce business in an advisory capacity since July 2011. Prior to that, he served as president of Sears Holdings' online division.
 

Columbus, Ohio -- Express said Thursday that its CEO, Michael Weiss, will also take over the role of board chairman, because of the current chairman's involvement in a rival company.

Weiss succeeds Stefan Kaluzny in the chairman's job. Kaluzny joined Express' board when the private equity firm where he worked, Golden Gate Capital, bought Limited Brands in 2007. Kaluzny has since joined another private equity firm, Sycamore Partners, which recently brought a controlling stake in Mast Global Fashions, which is Limited Brands' apparel sourcing division.

Chelmsford, Mass. -- The Kronos Retail Labor Index edged down to 3.8% in October 2011, following an upwardly revised 4.2% for September, which was the first reading above 4% since October 2008. Even with the small decline in October, the Retail labor Index remains well above the series low of 2.8% in January 2011.

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association, along with 125 business groups and employers nationwide, on Wednesday asked the Congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to include in their recommendations to the House and Senate a provision that would close the online sales tax loophole that is harming brick-and-mortar retail businesses and the communities they serve.

Omaha, Neb. -- Apparel and home fashions retailer Gordmans Stores said Wednesday it has named Michael Wirkkala as executive VP operations and COO.

Wirkkala was previously VP of store operations for Charming Charlie. He also worked for Macy’s for three decades.
 

Chicago -- A Wednesday report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas said that job cuts announced by U.S. employers increased in October from the same month last year.

According to the report, planned firings rose 13% to 42,759, from 37,986 in October 2010, boosted by job cuts by government agencies and financial companies.