Mergers & Acquisitions

LENEXA, Kan. — Balance Innovations, a provider of reconciliation and cash office management solutions for the retail industry in the United States and Canada, has named former Safeway executive Steve Rempel president and CEO. 

In this role, Rempel will lead the company as it further develops its core products and evolves to the next generation of cash office reconciliation solutions for the retail industry.

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. — Topco Associates LLC has hired former Limited Brands executive Paul Matthews as the company’s EVP and chief supply chain officer, reporting to president and CEO Randy Skoda. 

Topco provides aggregation, innovation and knowledge management solutions for leading food industry member-owners and customers. Matthews will oversee procurement of the company’s corporate brand and perishable products as well as the company’s logistics, supply chain management and quality assurance areas.

Former Nike executive Tony Moralejo has been appointed chief development officer at Church’s Chicken. Moralejo will be responsible for domestic and international expansion for the global chicken chain, as well as franchising, re-imaging, construction and real estate management. 

He will report directly to president and CEO Jim Hyatt and will be a member of the brand’s executive team.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has announced on her personal Tumblr blog the company’s plans to acquire the social blogging site for $1.1 billion. It is Mayer’s largest deal to date since becoming head of the multinational Internet corporation. 

DENVER -- Fast food hamburger chain Smashburger plans to more than double its nationwide store count to about 500 in the next few years. The chain currently runs about 200 locations across the US.

According to public comments from Smashburger chariman and CEO Dave Prokupek, the chain may also launch a US IPO at some point in the future. “The idea of good food fast isn’t going to go away anytime soon,” said Prokupek.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid announced the election of former Blue Shield of California president, chairman and CEO Bruce Bodaken to its board of directors. 

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Bruce G. Bodaken, former chairman, president and CEO of Blue Shield California, been named to the Rite Aid Corporation board of directors. Bodaken, 61, served with Blue Shield for 18 years, including 12 in his most recent role, and currently serves as director and audit committee chairman of WageWorks, Inc. He is also a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Value & Science-Driven Health Care.