Mergers & Acquisitions

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores on Friday will appoint Sylvia Mathews Burwell, a former senior executive of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to head its corporate foundation, according to the New York Times. She also will oversee the retail giant’s social, environmental and economic development programs in Africa.

Burwell replaces Margaret A. McKenna, who became the company foundation’s president in 2007.

GREENVILLE, S.C. — BI-LO and Winn-Dixie Stores on Monday announced that the companies will merge to create an organization of approximately 690 grocery stores and 63,000 employees in eight states throughout the Southeastern United States.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, BI-LO will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Winn-Dixie stock in the merger. Winn-Dixie shareholders will receive $9.50 in cash per share of Winn-Dixie common stock, representing a premium of approximately 75% over the closing price of Winn-Dixie common stock on Dec. 16.

Springfield, Ill. -- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Friday that grants hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks and incentives aimed at keeping Sears Holdings Corp., along with CME Group Inc., which operates the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, headquartered in Illinois.

Lawmakers approved the business tax breaks earlier this month, but Quinn had not yet signed the bill. Both companies had openly threatened to leave the state without some kind of significant aid package.

NEW YORK — Affinity Solutions, a provider of transaction-based marketing programs for financial institutions and retailers in the United States, announced that John Brennan has joined as VP business development.

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar Stores said Monday that it has named Paul White as executive VP, chief merchandising officer. He will report to Michael Bloom, president and COO.

White joined Family Dollar in 2011 as senior VP, apparel, home and seasonal. Before joining the company, he served as the past president, CEO, and director of Goody’s, where he refocused the merchandising and marketing strategies on the core customer while leading the company’s exit from bankruptcy.

Greenville, S.C. -- Grocer Bi-Lo LLC said Monday that it has acquired southern supermarket chain Winn-Dixie, in a $560 million transaction that will take Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. private and create the largest grocery operator in the South.

The merger will combine Winn-Dixie’s 480 supermarkets in five southern states (Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi) with Bi-Lo’s 207 stores in the Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee to create a company with 690 stores and 63,000 workers in eight states.

Los Angeles -- CBRE said Friday that Michael F. Smith has been promoted to president of the company’s Western Division. Smith, who has led CBRE’s San Francisco Bay area operations since 2002, succeeds Steven Swerdlow, who has been appointed COO of the Americas.

In his new role, Smith will direct CBRE’s operations in more than 46 offices in nine states, with responsibility for all lines of business. He will continue in his role as Bay Area market leader until a successor is named.
 

New York City -- Global architecture and design firm Callison announced Friday the acquisition of New York City-based Barteluce Architects & Associates.

This acquisition will grow Callison’s New York team to over 75 architects. Since Jan. 1, 2011, Callison has added more than 200 professionals to its global offices and the company said it plans to make more strategic acquisitions and investments in the future.