Strategy

New York City -- Walmart plans to launch a dedicated page on Walmart.com that will feature an assortment of products created by women in nearly two dozen countries, including women who work in cooperatives and own small businesses. Scheduled to be available in spring 2012, products will include jewelry from Guatemala, Thailand and Ethiopia; coffee from Central and South America; and dresses from Kenya.

New York City -- Gap’s Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement program was recognized by former President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative, held in New York City. Bob Fisher, son of Gap founders Doris and Don Fisher and a Gap board member, accepted the honor on behalf of the company.

Birmingham, Ala. -- Hibbett Sports announced plans to open nine stores in October.

The locations are in Pine Bluff, Ark.; Louisville, Ky.; Ada and Grove, Okla.; Aiken, S.C.; Giddings and Nacogdoches, Texas; Grundy, Va.; and Hartford, Wis.
 

New York City -- BJ’s Wholesale Club reduced the size and increased the rate on $2.18 billion of loans backing its buyout by Leonard Green & Partners LLP and CVC Capital Partners, Bloomberg reported.

The retailer cut a first-lien piece by $50 million to $1.075 billion, the report said, citing a source who declined to be identified.
 

Chicago -- SoCore Energy has been chosen as the solar developer to assist Walgreens in completing one of the nation’s largest solar energy rollouts. Construction of the first 20 solar installations at Ohio-area Walgreens began earlier this month, at stores in Cincinnati.

SoCore Energy is under contract to provide 90 Ohio solar installations for Walgreens. The first 53 will be completed by Nov. 11, pushing Walgreens’ total number of solar sites to 136.

Walgreens will lease the arrays from SoCore for 10 years.

Columbus, Ohio -- Express has promoted Matthew C. Moellering to the position of COO, and appointed D. Paul Dascoli as CFO.

Moellering was previously chief administration Officer and CFO. Dascoli most recently served as CFO for VF Jeanswear Limited Partnership, a division of VF Corp.

San Diego -- At its first Smarter Commerce Global Summit, IBM announced a range of wins with clients across global industries. By deploying solutions for Smarter Commerce, these clients are capitalizing on rapid shifts in customer demand, improving their performance and appeal to new digital age consumers, IBM said.

Millville, N.J. -- Fameco Real Estate, LP said that Hobby Lobby and Dollar Tree have signed leases at Cumberland Crossing, located in Millville, N.J., bringing the shopping center to nearly 90% leased.

Cumberland Crossing is a 258,414-sq.-ft. community center anchored by Walmart. Hobby Lobby signed a lease for 58,822 sq. ft. and Dollar Tree signed a lease for 12,000 sq. ft.
 

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners said it has hired Andrew Cornwell as a research analyst in the Austin/San Antonio office.

Prior to this role, Cornwell was an intern for SRS where he focused on research while working closely with the investment sales team.

Boston -- The Wilder Cos. said that David P. Morency, CPA joined the company as senior VP finance. In this newly created position Morency is responsible for the finance/accounting functions as well as oversight of the human resource and IT departments.

Most recently Morency was senior VP - finance with Cambridge, Mass.-based Carpenter & Co.