Corporate Governance

Sears holdings has made a key acquisition to bolster its connected home effort and named a new executive to lead its home service division.

The retailer said it hired former Best Buy executive Sean Skelley as president of its Home Services division. Skelley spent 20 years at Best Buy but most recently served as senior VP of service solutions for Asurion, global provider of device protection and support services for smartphones, tablets, consumer electronics and appliances.

Online fashion retailer ModCloth removed the “plus size” section from its site, opting to mix the items in with its regularly-sized items for a more “inclusive” shopping experience, Today.com reported. Company co-founder Susan Gregg Koger said, “as we think about a potentially permanent shop, we know we're not going to have a separate plus-size section.”

There’s an artsy home linens player in town, and comes complete with a French accent.

French home décor and lifestyle brand Madura, best known for its artful and colorful decorative pillows, has opened a flagship in New York City’s Flatiron neighborhood. It’s the opening salvo in the family-run company’s expansion efforts in the United States.

Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in West Pembroke Pines, Florida, on Oct. 10.

The 26,000-sq.-ft. store is located in Westfork Plaza.

With this new location, Ross will operate 153 stores in Florida. The opening is part of the retailer’s 2015 expansion program, totaling approximately 70 new locations during the year.

An executive who played a key role in helping Publix deliver on its “where shopping is a pleasure” brand promise has stepped down after nearly half a century with one of the nation’s best supermarket operators.

David Bridges, VP of fresh product business development at Publix will retire effective Jan. 1, 2016 and his role will be filled by Chris Litz who currently serves as a regional director of Publix Atlanta Division.

Sarasota, Fla. -- Taubman Centers celebrates two milestones for The Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota, Florida.

Oct. 16 marks the one year anniversary for the property and it has recently been named “Best Retail Development, Florida” by the International Property Awards and on.

Photo: Steve Bratspies

The National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association are aligned with the nation’s top law enforcement agency in an effort to ensure consumers have access to the most secure payment methods.

The FBI has released an official advisory warning consumers that EMV-compliant cards are still vulnerable to fraud and PIN authentication is the best means to prevent personal data theft. According to the FBI. EMV cards can still be counterfeited with stolen card data obtained on the black market.

After more than two decades in top finance roles at Walmart, Charles Holley, 59, is stepping down as CFO at the world’s largest retailer.

Succeeding Holley will be Brett Biggs, a well-rounded finance executive who joined Walmart in 2000 and has held key roles in each of the retailer’s divisions.

Aeropostale believes its brand is strong enough that shoppers at other retail outlets will want to buy licensed products bearing its name.

The teen specialty retailer and operator of roughly 800 stores signed a domestic licensing agreement for home textiles with Himatsingka America. Terms of the deal call for Himatsingka to design, manufacture and distribute bedding and bath linens using the Aeropostale label for department stores, big-box retailers and wholesale channels across North America.