Trading Partners

Washington, D.C. -- CBRE announced Tuesday that Louis G. Christopher has joined the firm as vice chairman, charged with focusing on tenant representation on a local, national and global level.

Christopher was previously with Cushman & Wakefield’s, where he was chairman of the firm’s Tenant Advisory Group.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. -- Redbox Automated Retail, a division of Coinstar, announced Tuesday it has renewed its agreement with Walmart to continue featuring Redbox kiosks at more than 3,700 Walmart locations nationwide.

The agreement extends the availability of Redbox kiosks and builds upon the companies' more than five-year relationship, said Redbox.

The first Redbox kiosks were installed in Walmart stores in 2006.
 

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot announced Tuesday the release of its 2011 Corporate Citizenship Report, highlighting its commitment to business, ethics, diversity, environmental sustainability and community.

Highlights of the report include diversity initiatives such as its Historically Underutilized Businesses catalog, which features products by businesses owned by minorities, women, the disabled and veterans; its ranking as the greenest retailer in America; and its compliance training initiatives.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears announced that it has partnered with H&R Block to launch a new website dedicated to helping consumers prepare for tax season. 

The appointment of 16-year Target veteran John Mulligan as the company’s new CFO makes a lot of sense as Target will benefit from continuity of leadership in its finance department.

New York City -- The Talbots is in buyout talks with the private-equity firm Sycamore Partners, according to the Boston Herald. The retailer signed a confidentiality agreement on Friday with the New York-based Sycamore, its second largest shareholder with 10% of the company, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the report said.

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Corp. has entered into a joint venture with Tata Global Beverages Limited that will result in the opening of the first-ever Starbucks locations in India. The 50/50 joint venture, called TATA Starbucks Limited, will own and operate Starbucks cafés, which will be branded as Starbucks Coffee “A Tata Alliance.” (Tata Global Beverages is the world’s second largest tea company and Asia’s largest coffee plantation company.)

Sam’s has enjoyed accelerating same-store sales growth the past two years, and to keep that momentum going chief merchandising officer Linda Hefner is looking for a few good suppliers to commit to a new joint business planning process.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Lowe’s has announced that Richard Dreiling has joined its board of directors. He will serve on the board’s audit and governance committees. The announcement brings Lowe’s board of directors to 12 members, 11 of whom are independent.

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe’s Cos. said Friday it has appointed Richard Dreiling, CEO and chairman of Dollar General Corp., to its board of directors. He will serve on the board’s audit and governance committees.

Dreiling has also served in corner-office positions for Duane Read, Longs Drug, Safeway and Vons.