Labor & Employment

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe's Cos.  announced Monday it will open 10 to 15 stores annually in North America from 2012 forward, down from its prior target of 30 stores, and will close 20 underperforming locations. The chain is on track to open 25 stores as planned in 2011.

The stores scheduled to be closed are in 15 states, ranging from California to Maine. The closings will impact some 1,950 employees.

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores announced Monday that the president of its China unit is stepping down. A company spokesman said the resignation was unrelated to a Chinese government food safety case against several Wal-Mart stores.

Ed Chan, CEO of Wal-Mart China, left for personal reasons, the company said. Scott Price, president of Walmart Asia, will fill the position in the interim.

Sylvia Mathews Burwell was named president of the Walmart Foundation Friday morning and will join the organization in January 2012. She currently serves as president global development for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and will replace Margaret McKenna who served as president of the Walmart Foundation since 2007 and announced her retirement earlier this year.

BOSTON — Global private equity firm Advent International has announced that Tom Ryan, former chairman and CEO of CVS Caremark, has joined the firm’s Operating Partner Program. In this role, Ryan will advise and work closely with Advent’s investment professionals to identify opportunities and generate post-investment value at retail and healthcare companies globally.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart and the Walmart Foundation on Friday named Sylvia Mathews Burwell as president of the Walmart Foundation.

Burwell will join Walmart in January 2012 to lead the company's charitable giving efforts and Walmart's Global Women's Economic Empowerment Initiative. Burwell will also guide the company's social, environmental and economic opportunity efforts in Africa, the company said.

Columbus, Ohio -- Victoria's Secret Direct said Thursday that former Giorgio Armani Corp. CEO Bridget Ryan-Berman has been named CEO of the Internet and catalogue division of Victoria's Secret and a subsidiary of Limited Brands.

Ryan-Berman replaces Pia Ferrario, who will remain as CEO through the holiday season and then transition into an advisory role with the company.

Ferrario joined Limited Brands in 1989 and was named CEO of Victoria's Secret Direct in 2007.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. said Thursday that the president of Target.com, Steve Eastman, has departed the company to pursue other opportunities.

The retailer said the decision is unrelated to the performance of its online business. However, the crash of its website last month during the launch of its exclusive Missoni collection led to much criticism.

Eastman is the second major executive to leave Target this month.

ST. LOUIS — Ralcorp Holdings announced that Robert Vitale will serve as CFO Post Holdings in conjunction with the previously announced separation of Ralcorp and the Post cereal business.  Vitale will join Post effective Nov. 1.

Boston -- Global private equity firm Advent International announced that Thomas Ryan, former chairman and CEO of CVS Caremark Corp., has joined the firm’s Operating Partner Program. He will advise and work closely with Advent’s investment professionals to identify attractive opportunities and generate post-investment value at retail and healthcare companies globally.

Ryan, who joined CVS Caremark in 1974 as a pharmacist, was appointed chief executive in 1994.

SUNBURY, Pa. — Weis Markets reported its third quarter sales increased 6% to $678.6 million and that its comparable-store sales increased 6.5% during the thirteen-week period ending Sept. 24 compared with the same period a year ago.

During the period, the company's net income increased 4.1% to $17 million compared with the same period a year ago.  The company's third quarter earnings per share increased to 63 cents compared with 61 cents per share in 2010.