Marketing

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — The Wet Seal has appointed retail veteran Lesli Gilbert to the position of EVP, stores and operations. She replaces Barbara Cook, who resigned as the company's SVP of store operations in February.

SALT LAKE CITY — Overstock.com has promoted Brian Popelka to the position of SVP of customer and partner care. Formerly VP of customer care, Popelka will establish and maintain relationships with the company's drop-ship fulfillment partners, in addition to his previous duties.

Under his direction, the customer care department has repeatedly ranked in the top four of the former NRF Foundation/American Express Customer Choice Awards and earned the Gartner Gold Award and the 2011 Stevie Award for customer care.

Chesapeake, Va. – Dollar Tree has promoted former COO Gary Philbin to the new position of president and COO. Philbin, who has served as COO of Dollar Tree since 2007, spent 30 years in various merchandising and operations executive positions in the grocery vertical before joining Dollar Tree as SVP of Stores in 2001.

Hordes of spend-happy young Mexican shoppers are successfully attracting specialty apparel retailers from the U.S. and Europe – and, as mentioned in a recent report by Wall Street Journal, Walmart is feeling the pain.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Lululemon reported results for the first quarter ended May 5, but the news of the day was CEO Christine Day's resignation after five and a half years.

Day will officially step down once the board names a successor. The board has formed a search committee and enacted its CEO succession plan.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Family Dollar has named Brad Rogers as the company's SVP of real estate. Rogers replaces Keith Gehl, who announced his retirement from the company at the end of June. Rogers will report to chairman and CEO Howard R. Levine.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Dollar Tree has promoted Gary Philbin to president and COO. He has served as COO since 2007. Bob Sasser continues to lead the company as its CEO.

PITTSBURGH — Berkshire Hathaway and an investment fund affiliated with 3G Capital have completed their acquisition of H.J. Heinz Company. 

Heinz shareholders will receive $72.50 in cash for each share of common stock they owned as of the effective time of the merger, without interest and less any applicable withholding taxes. As a result of the completion of the merger, the common stock of Heinz will no longer be listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange and Heinz expects no further trading after the close of business on June 7.