Labor & Employment

Dallas -- Talent software firm PeopleAnswers said Thursday that RadioShack Corp. will utilize the PeopleAnswers talent assessment software for all positions in nearly 5,800 company-operated stores and kiosks as well as corporate offices across the United States and Puerto Rico.

Salt Lake City -- Video interviewing solution-provider HireVue said Thursday that Nike has selected it to support its campus recruiting program, adding HireVue’s video interviewing platform to Nike’s recruiting process.

Dallas -- Zale Corp. said Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Jan. 31 surged to $27.2 million, compared with $6.7 million a year earlier.

Zale, which has struggled to regain profitability as the economy improves, posted net income of $27.2 million compared with $6.7 million, or 21 cents per share a year ago. Sales rose to $626.4 million for the quarter, from $582.3 million. Same-store sale rose 7.9%, compared with a decrease of 11.2% during the comparable period in the prior year.

Minneapolis -- Christopher & Banks Corp. said Thursday that it has named Michael Lyftogt to the position of senior VP and CFO.

Lyftogt, a 12-year veteran of the company, has worked in a variety of financial roles including chief accounting officer and VP finance and has served as interim CFO since July 2010.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. reported on Wednesday that it has ended a three-year search for a permanent CEO, appointing a former technology executive with no retail experience as its new chief executive and president. The company name Lou D’Ambrosio to the position of president and CEO.

FORT MEYERS, Fla. — Chico's FAS announced Tuesday that it has appointed Kent Kleeberger to the position of EVP and COO.

Kleeberger will replace Jeffrey Jones, who is retiring from the company, effective March 7. Jones will serve as part-time consultant to the company during a transition period.

Kleeberger, 58, has served as EVP finance and CFO of Chico's FAS since joining the company in November 2007. Previously, he was SVP and CFO for Dollar Tree Stores.

NEW YORK — The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index reached 70.4 in February, a three-year high from February 2008, thanks to growing optimism about the short-term future.

Framingham, Mass. -- TJX Cos. reported a 15% drop in fourth-quarter earnings, dragged down by costs to close its A.J. Wright store division. The company also plans to repurchase $1.2 billion of its stock this fiscal year and raise its dividend.

The retailer earned $334.4 million in the three months ended Jan. 29, compared with $394.9 million in the same period last year.

Revenue rose 6.5% to $6.33 billion. Same-store sales were up 2% over the prior year’s strong 12% increase.

Tarrytown, N.Y. -- DLC Management Corp. said Tuesday that two of its Northeast Leasing team members have successfully achieved the Certified Leasing Specialist (CLS) designation from the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Evan Podob, VP -- director of Northeast leasing, and Christopher Ressa, senior leasing representative -- Northeast, received their certifications in January.
 

Vienna, Va. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has named Jack deVilliers as leasing agent in Baltimore, Maryland and the New England area. 

deVilliers will be responsible for leasing 13 operating properties, totaling 1.8 million sq. ft., in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Previously, deVilliers served as a retail leasing associate for commercial real estate broker KLNB Retail, handling tenant and landlord representation of new retail development projects.