Strategy

Washington, D.C. — Former Microsoft executive, Tom Litchford, has been named The National Retail Federation's new VP retail technologies.

Effective July 2, Litchford will lead and manage NRF's Association for Retail Technology Standards and the exclusive, invite-only CIO Council. He will be responsible for developing and enhancing strategic programs, activities and relationships with retail and technology communities both domestically and internationally.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said in a Friday emailed statement that the co-heads of its technology unit @WalmartLabs are leaving the company.

Venky Harinarayan and Anand Rajaraman, who ran the 200- person unit in San Bruno, Calif., are taking some time off from the industry, according to the statement. The pair took the helm of @WalmartLabs when Wal-Mart bought their company Kosmix last year.

Wal-Mart said the rest of the technology team will remain intact.
 

New York -- A Thursday report by Bloomberg said that Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren is slated to give his deposition next month over a contract dispute with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.

Citing documents filed Thursday in New York state court, Bloomberg said that Lundgren is scheduled for a half-day of questioning on July 3 in advance of a July 13 hearing on his company’s request for a preliminary injunction.

Wallingford, Conn. -- Edible Arrangements announced on Friday a strategic partnership with private equity firm Catterton Partners, which includes a capital investment toward expanding the Edible Arrangements brand globally. 

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

In addition, Edible Arrangements founder and CEO Tariq Farid said that Catterton Partners brings significant resources in areas from strategy to customer relations to supply chain management, which will accelerate the company's ability to reach new levels of growth.

Ottawa, Ontario -- Sears Canada has opened its largest Sears Home store at Pinecrest Shopping Center. The store will occupy 78,0000 sq. ft. and feature an expanded selection of furniture as well as the largest major appliance and mattress inventory of any Sears location.

"The opening of the Sears Home store at Pinecrest is another in a series of transformational milestones for Sears Canada," said Calvin McDonald, president and CEO, Sears Canada.

Irvine, Calif. -- TNP Strategic Retail Trust said Friday it has acquired Bloomingdale Hills, a 13-acre retail center in the Tampa, Fla., suburb of Riverview.

TNP is a public non-traded REIT that invests in grocery and drugstore anchored, multi-tenant necessity retail properties and other real estate-related assets.

Bloomingdale Hills comprises about 78,500 sq. ft. of rentable space, as well as a fully improved, undeveloped land parcel.

The center is anchored by Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market and is 100% leased.
 

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp.’s international executive VP James Murphy said Thursday that the warehouse club operator is pursuing a European expansion program.

Murphy told Bloomberg that Costco is “interested in investing in the obvious four -- Germany, Italy, France and Spain.” The company hasn’t decided which country would debut first and will probably open a store in the region “in the next couple of years,” Murphy said in the Bloomberg interview.

UNION, N.J. — The growth prospects of the nation’s leading home goods retailer is being questioned following a solid first quarter performance and weaker-than-expected outlook.

HERSHEY, Pa. — The Hershey Company  has named Leslie Turner SVP, general counsel and secretary, effective July 9.

In her new role, Turner will lead Hershey’s legal, government relations, corporate security and corporate secretary functions. She will report to John Bilbrey, president andCEO, The Hershey Company. She also will serve as a member of the company’s global leadership team.

IRVINE, Calif. — Vizio has agreed to let Curtis International Ltd., which sells digital televisions in the United States and Canada under the Curtis brand, become a licensee under Vizio's QAM patent portfolio. The parties have not disclosed financial terms of the agreement under which Curtis has agreed to make royalty payments to Vizio for sales of licensed products.