Corporate Governance

Costco Wholesale Corp. is getting down to business on processing payments from small-to-mid-sized business (SMB) customers.

The wholesale chain is extending an existing relationship with payment processing solutions provider Elavon aimed at improving service and security for SMB members.

The payment processing program for Costco’s SMB members includes POS, mobile and e-commerce solutions, all of which adhere to EMV and PCI compliance requirements. Costco members can obtain program services online and in-store.

In a retail world focused on omnichannel strategies, product and service innovations, IT investments and technology-enabled stores of the future, winning retailers are taking a new look at their store labor models and budgets. Store associates represent one of the biggest contributors to the success or failure of brick-and-mortar stores. In many ways, they are a retailer’s most powerful asset.

Gelson’s Markets, which operates 18 full-service specialty grocery stores in Southern California, is supporting ambitious growth plans with a back-end technology upgrade. Gelson’s will implement JDA space and category management solutions to increase the efficiency and automation of its planning activities.

Flipkart, a leading Indian online marketplace, is naming three new technology executives with experience at some major global retail and IT firms.

The Retail Industry Leaders Alliance (RILA) is refuting public claims about retailers lagging behind banks and card networks in transitioning to EMV compliance. Randy Vanderhook, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance, said in a San Diego Union Tribune article that although consumers have largely been issued EMV-compliant chip cards, retailers have not been activating terminals or completing chip migration.

Ross Dress for Less is expanding its store base in Colorado. The specialty apparel retailer will open a new store in Fort Collins, Colorado on Oct. 10.

The 25,000-sq.-ft. relocation is in the newly renovated Renaissance on the Front Range development (previously Foothills Mall). The opening is part of the retailer’s 2015 expansion program, totaling approximately 70 new locations during the year.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores on Thursday announced the appointment of Jason Ausili as director, pharmacy affairs, effective Sept. 28. Ausili will report to Kathleen Jaeger, SVP pharmacy care and patient advocacy.

Rite Aid on Thursday reported $7.7 billion in revenue for its fiscal second quarter ended Aug. 29, representing an increase of 17.5%. Retail pharmacy segment revenues were $6.6 billion and increased 1.9%, primarily as a result of an increase in same-store sales. And pharmacy services segment revenues were $1.1 billion from the date of the acquisition of EnvisionRx — June 24 — through the end of the quarter.