Corporate Governance

By Jason Christoff, PE, LEED AP BD+C

The way business is executed within the retail construction industry may never be the same. The Great Recession is finally behind us, but it has changed how retailers deliver stores, as well as how architecture and engineering professionals design them. The A/E delivery model is constantly being reimagined to meet the needs of the changing market, but typically not as quickly or drastically as within the last five years.
 

San Jose – PayPal is reportedly expanding the customer service center located in its European headquarters based in Dundalk, Ireland. According to the Irish Independent, PayPal will make a “massive investment” in the center in the next four years that will add 400 workers.

The expansion will bring the combined PayPal-EBay workforce in Dundalk to 1,850. New jobs will include customer solutions, risk operations and telesales positions.

Washington, D.C. - The National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) have asked an appeals court to overturn a federal judge’s approval of a lawsuit settlement regarding Visa and MasterCard’s credit card swipe fees, saying it was negotiated by only a handful of merchants and would do nothing to bring the fees under control.

Plano, Texas - Rent-A-Center Inc. has named Mike Case to VP marketing strategy and insights. Case is responsible for global administration of customer insights/market research, marketing analytics, business innovation, CRM and loyalty.

Recently, Case served as VP marketing and senior loyalty officer for La Quinta Inn & Suites Earlier in his career, Case held leadership positions in organizations such as American Airlines, Brierley & Partners, Sage Telecom, First USA Bank and Virgin America.

New York — M-A-C Cosmetics has signed a long-term lease at 853 Broadway in Manhattan’s Union Square, according to The Feil Organization, the building’s owner and manager. RKF represented M-A-C in the lease negotiations. The retailer plans to open in time for the 2014 holiday shopping season.

M-A-C will occupy a space on the ground floor and project a two-level storefront plus 14 ft. of frontage along 14th Street, giving it excellent visibility.

Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) has named former Carrefour Group executive José Carlos González-Hurtado as president of International.

González-Hurtado will be responsible for the strategy and execution of all IRI services in international markets, including Europe, Asia Pacific, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) have asked an appeals court to overturn a federal judge’s approval of a lawsuit settlement regarding Visa and MasterCard’s credit card swipe fees, saying it was negotiated by only a handful of merchants and would do nothing to bring the fees under control.

Global brand agency CBX has appointed Anthony Simon as group director of its branded environments team. Simon will report to president of CBX Branded Environments Joseph Bona.

Simon joined CBX from TPG Architecture, an architecture and design firm in New York City, where, as design director, he was a responsible for business development, direction and management of design concepts and staff, and account relationships. His key accounts included Perry Ellis, Original Penguin, Crocs, Adidas, Charming Charlie, HTC, RXR and The Empire State Building.

Specialty retailer Batteries Plus Bulbs is doubling down on its existing device repair business with plans to have the service in more than 650 stores by yearend.

Since August of last year, device repair was being tested in 40 markets nationwide and had grown to 275 stores, however the popularity of the service among consumers combined with the surging popularity of smartphones, iPods, tablets and other devices prompted the decision to expand the service to all stores, according to the company.