Corporate Governance

Ann Arbor, Mich. - Customer satisfaction with goods and services purchased and consumed in the U.S. suffered a fifth consecutive quarterly decline, sending the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) to its lowest point since 2006. According to the ACSI, the national level of customer satisfaction is down 0.7% to 74.7 on a 100-point scale in the first quarter of 2015 and is off 2.7% since peaking in the fourth quarter 2013.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will no longer sell merchandise featuring the Confederate flag in its stores or online. The retailer is removing the flag, long a source of controversy due to its connections to slavery and use as a symbol by white supremacists, in the wake of a racially-motivated mass shooting at a historically black Charleston, South Carolina church.

Orlando, Fla. - Darden Restaurants Inc. plans to separate a portion of its real estate assets through a combination of sale leaseback transactions and a new, publicly traded real estate investment trust ("REIT"). Under the plan, Darden will transfer approximately 430 of its corporate stores to the REIT, with substantially all of the REIT's initial assets being leased back to Darden.  

Chicago - Mid-America Real Estate Corp.’s Investment Sales team recently brokered the sale of Randhurst Village in the Chicago suburb of Mount Prospect. Tarrytown, New York-based DLC Management Corp. purchased the 1,009,937-sq.-ft. regional power and lifestyle center.

Randhurst Village national tenants include Costco, Home Depot, Jewel-Osco, AMC Theaters, Carson Pirie Scott, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sports Authority, TJ Maxx, Old Navy, PetSmart and World Market.

The National Retail Federation is recognizing the nation's top law enforcement officers with the organization's annual loss prevention awards.

Recipients of the Ring of Excellence, Law Enforcement Retail Partnership and Retail Case of the Year will be honored during an awards ceremony at NRF PROTECT, the retail industry’s largest event for retail loss prevention executives in North America.

Disney and Ralph Lauren are among the iconic American brands consumers consider the most "patriotic," according to a new survey.

Shopper marketing firm Saatchi & Saatchi X has promoted one of its senior executives to be its next president.

Whole Foods Market is kicking off summer with a slew of promotions designed to appeal to the shopper who keeps a healthy lifestyle.

From June 24 to June 30, the retailer’s Whole Body departments will host events, classes, demonstrations and promotions* to showcase Whole Foods Market’s large selection of active living products—from protein powders and superfoods to sun-care and reusable water bottles.

CVS Health has selected a DigitasLBi executive to be its next marketing chief.

As competition for online sales becomes ever more aggressive, Sam’s Club has unveiled a "shocking" new promotion to attract shoppers to its website.

The retailer is launching a program called Shocking Values, which will offer daily deals at SamsClub.com with up to 60% off regular retail prices on brands consumers know and love.