Marketing

By Amanda J. Podlucky, Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin

San Diego -- Petco has named Larry Rutkowski as executive VP and CFO. Prior to joining Petco, Rutkowski served as  executive VP and CFO for The Warnaco Group, an American textile and clothing corporation, and Primedia, a consumer advertising, new media and publishing company, both in New York.

Previously, he also held senior financial leadership positions at General Electric and Walt Disney Company.

Eastman Kodak Company has named Eric-Yves Mahe as SVP and director of sales strategy and operations. The board of directors also has elected Mahe a corporate officer of Kodak, making him a member of the company’s executive council.

In this newly created role, Mahe will be responsible for formulating a strategy to drive and measure sales of Kodak’s portfolio of hardware, consumables, software and services. Mahe also will advise Kodak’s senior management team on software, OEM partnerships and the sale of complex solutions.

Stein Mart’s board of directors has appointed D. Hunt Hawkins and Brian R. Morrow to share the newly created office of the president. Both men will continue to report to CEO Jay Stein.

"Hunt and Brian have made significant contributions in the success of the company," said Stein. "Their promotions are a testament to their leadership that has built a team that has produced seven consecutive quarters of comp store gains, a dramatic departure from the achievements of past management, and reflect the confidence the board and I have in them."

Houston - Mattress Firm Holding Corp. has entered into an agreement to acquire Mattress Liquidators Inc., which operates Mattress King retail stores in Colorado, and BedMart retail stores in Arizona, for about $35 million. This will add approximately 75 specialty retail stores to the Mattress Firm company-operated store base in markets where it currently operates, primarily Denver, Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.

The closing of the acquisition is expected to occur by the end of the second fiscal quarter of 2014, subject to normal closing conditions.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Stein Mart’s board of directors has appointed D. Hunt Hawkins and Brian R. Morrow to share the newly created office of the president. Both men will continue to report to CEO Jay Stein.

The Estée Lauder Companies have named Christopher C. Giglio as VP, corporate global communications. He will report to Alexandra C. Trower, EVP, global communications.

Goal Zero, innovator of portable solar power systems, has appointed former REI SVP of merchandising Lee Fromson to president and COO.

The company has also made strategic changes to its executive team, with current president and CEO Joe Atkin assuming the role of co-chairman of the board, and founder and chief creative officer Robert Workman becoming CEO.