Corporate Governance

New York -- Target Corp. has added its name to a legal defense of gay marriage. The move comes four years after the company was criticized for supporting a strident opponent of same-sex unions.

Target signed a court brief backing marriage equality in a pending court case and publicly declared its support of gay marriage, joining the likes of Starbucks, Apple and Intel.

New York -- Sascha Bopp, CEO of Crate &and Barrel, has resigned. The retailer’s COO and CFO, Adrian Mitchell, has assumed interim leadership. A search is underway for a permanent replacement.

“This position will concentrate on supporting the company’s evolving business strategy and include a deepened focus on the customer experience and growth in the digital space,” the company said in a statement.

New York -- Aldi was recognized as the nation's low-price grocery leader for the fourth year in a row, according to a recent consumer survey conducted by Market Force Information. Aldi announced in December 2013 that it intends to open 650 new stores across the country during the next five years.

When asked to rank the top grocers offering low prices, the 6,200 consumers who participated in the study ranked Aldi first, followed by Costco and Walmart third.

Scottsdale, Ariz. - The Cold Stone Creamery will open its first store in Pakistan in September. Kahala Brands, the parent company of Cold Stone Creamery, has signed a master franchise agreement with Venus Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd., part of the Venus Group of companies, spearheaded by Adnan Asad.  

Conway, Ark. -- The Central Landing retail development now underway in Conway, Arkansas, has added a well-established name as a key anchor for the development’s first phase. Will Wilson, president of Jim Wilson & Associates, LLC and the company’s partner, the Conway Development Corporation, announced the completion of a letter of intent with Dillard’s to become part of the Central Landing development.

The Arkansas-based retailer will become an anchor for the development’s first phase.

The summer has brought with it a flurry of new store openings, from both established players and emerging online-offline stars. Check out the five below … and don’t miss the bonus at the end!

Atlanta - Another retailer is looking for a chief executive: Aaron’s Inc. announced that Ronald W. Allen, 72, will retire as CEO and as a member of the board of directors of Aaron’s, effective Aug. 31. Allen has served on the board since 1997 and as CEO since February 2012.

The board has retained Spencer Stuart, an executive recruiting firm, to assist in the process of identifying Allen's successor. The search process will include a full review of both internal and external candidates.

Indianapolis - Lids Sports Group has acquired wholesale team sports company Nashville Sporting Goods and its production affiliate National Team Embellishment, both headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The purchase includes Nashville Sporting Goods.

Wayne, N.J. – Toys “R” Us Inc. has named Chetan Bhandari senior VP, corporate finance and treasurer. In this capacity, Bhandari will be responsible for managing relationships with domestic and international lenders, depository banks, credit insurers and credit rating agencies, as well as overseeing the company’s global cash management, foreign exchange programs and capital markets activities.

New York - Tiffany & Co. has set a goal to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 15% from 2013 to 2020, according to its annual corporate responsibility report. The report details that the retailer had installed energy efficient LED lighting in retail displays at more than 39 U.S. retail locations by the end of 2013. An additional 16 North American locations are planned for 2014.

The report also includes progress in the following areas: