Corporate Governance

Toys “R” Us and Kohl’s are among the first retailers to announce their holiday hiring plans this year, and the numbers are more or less the same as last year for both companies.

Toys “R” Us plans to hire 40,000 employees at its stores and distribution centers throughout the country (about 5,000 less than last year). The retailer also plans to allow seasonal workers the opportunity to take on significantly more hours than in previous years, while also continuing to provide extra hours to current employees.

Taubman Centers named Simon J. Leopold, treasurer and executive VP, capital markets, as CFO, effective Jan. 1.

Leopold will succeed current CFO Lisa A. Payne, who will continue as vice chairman until she leaves the company in March. Payne has been with the shopping center development and management company since 1997. Earlier, she was a vice president of Goldman, Sachs & Co.’s investment banking division.

Retail acquisitions are never easy, and generally involve significant systems and process overhauls.

The June 2014 purchase of Jos. A. Bank by The Men’s Wearhouse is no exception, as evidenced by its recent upgrade of Jos. A. Bank’s warehouse management.

Gordmans Stores has named a veteran from Hancock Fabrics to take over as CFO.

The Omaha-based apparel and home decor retailer announced that James B. Brown has been appointed executive VP and CFO effective immediately.

The latest posting from the McMillanDoolittle blog:

Target announced a partnership with Instacart in Target’s hometown of Minneapolis. This is Target’s first experiment with same-day delivery of products, and it coincides with the expansion of their grocery and fresh business.

It is the season before the season when retailer revelations about plans to hire temporary workers offer insight into holiday expectations. One of the best indicators of what to expect this Christmas comes courtesy of UPS.

UPS said it plans to hire between 90,000 and 95,000 seasonal employees (about the same as last year) to support the anticipated increase in package volume that will begin in November and continue through January 2016.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is questioning whether to use a broader definition of the term “joint employer,” a move that could bring sweeping changes to the restaurant and retail/wholesale franchisor model. Whether a large fast-food company exhibited more control than it should have over its franchisees was the most recent catalyst for the proposed change, but several earlier cases have challenged the more than 30-year-old standard for determining joint employment.

St. Charles, Mo. -- Cullinan Properties continues its growth in the St. Charles, Missouri, region with the announcement of three new restaurants joining the Streets of St. Charles.

Wasabi Sushi Bar and Picasso's Coffee House are targeted to open September 2015 and P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is expected to open in spring 2016. The restaurants will join a growing list of eateries at Streets of St. Charles: Prasino, Bar Louie, Tucano’s, Dewey’s Pizza, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
 

Glendale, Ariz. -- Brixmor Property Group announced that Glendale Galleria, located in Glendale, Arizona, will undergo a comprehensive renovation and will add anchor tenant LA Fitness, a 36,894-sq.-ft. new prototype facility.  

“With the addition of LA Fitness and plans for a newly renovated center, we will be delivering a substantially improved shopping environment for our customers and retailers at Glendale Galleria,” said Matt Berger, senior VP of leasing for Brixmor Property Group.

The Retail Industry Leaders Association introduced its second Retail Energy Management Report, a resource for companies to compare energy management programs across the industry and identify opportunities for progress.

The report was released prior to the opening of RILA’s 2015 Retail Sustainability Conference, now in its eighth year.