Marketing

Irvine, Calif. -- Steadfast Cos. said that Richard Gann has been hired as chief marketing officer for Steadfast Capital Markets Group, the company’s securities and financial services division.

In the newly created role, Gann will oversee strategic marketing functions to assist in the overall positioning and growth of the Steadfast Income REIT, the company’s $1.65 billion public, non-traded real estate investment trust, as well as future alternative investment programs.
 

Washington, D.C. -- Douglas Development Corp. announced that Joe Ruzecki has joined the real estate company as the new director of leasing.

Most recently, Ruzecki served as senior VP with CB Richard Ellis in Baltimore.
 

Garden City, N.J. -- Sabre Real Estate Group said that Anthony Russo has joined the New York metropolitan area’s newest retail real estate brokerage, Sabre Realty Group LLC, as VP.

Russo began his career with Bagnato Realty Services, now called NAI Long Island.
 

Fort Worth, Texas -- RadioShack Corp. has initiated a formal review of its creative agency of record for the U.S. general market. RadioShack reported total advertising expenses of approximately $206 million for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2010.

To help navigate the review process, RadioShack has retained the services of Select Resources International (SRI), an agency-review consulting firm based in Santa Monica, Calif.

Boston -- City Sports announced the appointment of Debi Binder to VP marketing and Dana Klein to director of e-commerce.

Binder most recently served as a senior VP for CCA Global Partners. Prior to City Sports, Klein managed operations and merchandising at Puma North America for the brand's shop.puma.com site.

Pittsburgh -- American Eagle Outfitters Inc. reported that its third-quarter net income increased 59%, helped by a year-ago charge. The chain posted fourth-quarter guidance that was above Wall Street expectations.

For the August-October quarter, the company said net income was $52.4 million, compared with $33 million in the same period last year. Analysts expected 26 cents per share.

Revenue rose 11% to $831.8 million, from $751.5 million last year. Analysts expected $820.3 million. Same-store sales rose 5%, as did online revenue.

London – WorldPay, the global leader in payment processing has appointed Charlotte Speller, VP global marketing, for the e-commerce division of the business.

Charlotte joins WorldPay from Sage Pay, where she was head of marketing and PR and publisher of e-commerce and payments magazine Moving Money.

NEW YORK — Heading into December, consumers are feeling more confident about the economy and that is good news for retailers who are hoping for a strong holiday shopping season. After declining in October, The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, improved to 56 in November from 40.9 in Ocober. The Present Situation Index increased to 38.3 from 27.1. The Expectations Index rose to 67.8 from 50.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Frederik Meijer, the founder of the supercenter retail chain of the same name, died Nov. 25. He was 91.

Indianapolis -- The Finish Line said Tuesday that its chief administrative officer and corporate secretary Gary D. Cohen, will retire from the company effective March 29, 2012.

Cohen will step down effective December 1, but will remain with the company during a transition period ending March 29, 2012.

Cohen, 59, has been with Finish Line since 1997, first serving as general counsel and later in his current role.