Trading Partners

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced Wednesday that its former president and CEO Lee Scott will not seek re-election to the company’s board of directors.

As well, current board member Chris Williams will not stand for re-election to the board of directors at Walmart’s Annual Shareholders’ meeting on June 6.

Lost Angeles — CBRE Group has announced that John Ferguson has been promoted to president, southeast region.

Ferguson has led CBRE’s southeast region since January 2011. His elevation to the title of president reflects outstanding performance across a broad range of leadership activities including new business development, business and sales management, market and industry leadership, client relationships and people management, said CBRE in a statement.

Los Angeles — CBRE Group has promoted Lewis Horne to president, greater Los Angeles-Orange County region. Horne has led the CBRE region since 2007. His elevation to the President title reflects outstanding performance across a broad range of leadership attributes, including new business development, business and sales management, market and industry leadership, client relationships and people management, said CBRE in a prepared statement.

Mississauga, Canada - Federal Express Canada Ltd. has reached an agreement with Home Hardware Stores Ltd. that allows individual dealer-owners the ability to house full-service FedEx Authorized ShipCenters within their stores. The FedEx Authorized ShipCenters will be rolled out across Canada in a series of implementation waves throughout the year.

Dallas - DGSE Companies Inc. has named James D. “Dusty” Clem to the positions of chairman, president and CEO, effective immediately. Clem replaces James Vierling, who has resigned as CEO and as a director of DGSE to accept a position with Elemetal LLC, DGSE’s largest shareholder.

Atlanta - Arby's Restaurant Group Inc. (ARG), franchisor of Arby’s, has signed development agreements with new and existing franchisees. ARG recently sold 14 company-operated restaurants in Tampa, Fla., to Mosaic Investments Inc., a fully integrated investment firm based in Atlanta. In addition to remodeling existing locations slated to commence at the end of 2014, Mosaic has committed to build 13 new Arby's restaurants in the Tampa area during the next nine years.

Tampa, Fla. - The Melting Pot Restaurants  plans to expand its footprint in select markets throughout the U.S., and Canada. Domestically, the company is looking to recruit new franchisees in cities such as Anchorage, Alaska; Little Rock, Ark.; Fresno, Calif.; Hartford, Conn.; Des Moines, Iowa; New York City; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Charleston, S.C.; and Portland, Maine, as well as Houston and El Paso, Texas.

Cincinnati -- Associates working at Kroger stores in the Atlanta metro and surrounding area have ratified new labor agreements with UFCW Local 1996. The contracts cover 23,598 associates working in 163 stores in the Atlanta area and 12 in Savannah.

New York -- Leonard Riggio, chairman of Barnes & Noble Inc., has sold 3.7 million shares of Barnes & Noble common stock. After the sale, his holdings are expected to represent approximately 20% of Barnes & Noble’s common stock outstanding.

Riggio said the sale is part of his long-term financial and estate planning and that he has no plans to sell more stock this calendar year.

Seattle – Starbucks Corp. plans to move its European headquarters to London, from its current base in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The move will both concentrate some executives in the U.K., including some transferred from the Amsterdam office, and also increase the tax Starbucks pays in the U.K.

Starbucks paid an estimated $16.8 million in U.K. taxes during 2013 and has said it expects to pay the same amount in 2014. The company has received criticism in the U.K. for allegedly using complex accounting procedures to minimize the tax it pays there.