Corporate Governance

Fort Worth, Texas - David E. Pratt has joined Trademark Property Co. as VP mall and lifestyle leasing. Pratt brings 27 years of retail leasing experience to Trademark, where he will be responsible for leasing of the company’s lifestyle centers and malls.

Grand Rapids. Mich. – Meijer is reportedly focusing on making its apparel, footwear and accessories assortment more appealing to fashion-conscious customers. According to the Detroit News, Meijer is taking steps including redesigning its stores, hiring outside consultants and launching a multimedia marketing campaign to improve the appeal of apparel and related categories.

Toronto – Staples Canada has launched its seasonal back-to-school center, Staples.ca/backtoschool, and a television and media campaign. The online center features tips for parents, teachers and students, and an e-marketplace.

Canton, Mass. - Dunkin' Donuts has signed a multi-unit store development agreement with new franchisees, Brian and Sharon Weidendorf, to develop seven restaurants in Duluth, Minnesota, and the surrounding areas. The first restaurant is planned to open in spring 2015.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Jerry Stephens has joined collaborative supply chain planning technology provider Market6 as VP, responsible for Market6's business with Kroger and their suppliers. Stephens joins Market6 from Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPGS) where he led DPSG's Kroger account team since 2011 and oversaw all aspects of sales, business development and strategic account planning.

By Charles Tendell, Azorian Cyber Security

Washington, D.C. – The National Retail Federation (NRF), Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Merchant Advisory Group, National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), National Grocers Association, and National Restaurant Association (NRA) are jointly calling for an open and universal tokenization standard in the U.S. payments system.

Beijing -- Secoo.com, a Chinese luxury and high-end fashion e-commerce company, recently completed a new round of financing that has raised around $100 million. The event represents the largest amount of financing raised in one round across the Chinese luxury and high-end fashion e-commerce sector to date.

Secaucus, N.J. - The Children's Place Inc. has announced that Lou Lipschitz, a member of its board of directors and chair of the Audit Committee, has passed away. Lipschitz served on the board of directors since 2008, and was the chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance committees.

Prior to joining the Children’s Place board, Lipschitz served as the executive VP and CFO of Toys “R” Us Inc. from 1996 until his retirement in 2004.