Corporate Governance

Tractor Supply Company has named former Ulta Beauty executive Robert D. Mills as SVP and chief information officer, succeeding James Callison. Mills will also serve on the company’s executive committee.

Callison, who informed the company last year about his plans to retire, will remain on-board for an undisclosed amount of time while the transition is completed.

Finance executives who participated in professional services firm BDO’s annual CFO survey expect 8.2% growth in online sales this year and not surprisingly plan to increase investments in mobile capabilities.

Mobile and online sales will continue to drive growth for retailers in 2014, the firm said. However, now that e-commerce has firmly taken root in the retail industry, growth is beginning to stabilize. As a result, about 64% of CFOs said online sales will grow in the coming year, a figure below the 74% who expressed that sentiment the prior year.

Tampa, Fla. — RMC Property Group has earned two exclusive leasing assignments on Florida’s southern West Coast.

First is Fountain Court, a 180,420-sq.-ft. community shopping center in Bradenton’s Highway 64 retail corridor near the beaches and Anna Maria Island. Anchor tenants include Bealls Department Store and Planet Fitness.

Los Angeles — A Buffalo Wild Wings Franchisee has signed an agreement to open fast-casual PizzaRev restaurants throughout the St. Louis, Mo., and Austin, Texas, markets.

The PizzaPeel franchise group plans to open four PizzaRevs in Austin and three in St. Louis. The agreement also includes rights to develop both regions further.

Birmingham, Ala. — Bayer Properties has appointed Brad Bailey VP of business development. With more than 20 years of experience in the commercial real estate and retail industry, Bailey comes to Bayer from The Weitzman Group, where he held the position of senior VP and director of investment sales. His responsibilities there included consulting on acquisitions, dispositions, operations, leasing and financing.

Yonkers, N.Y. — Forest City Ratner Cos. has joined Yonkers Partners in Education to create Ridge Hill Academy, a pilot program in which local businesses teach local students about the “behind the scenes” operations of retail management.

Twenty-five students selected from local high schools have just begun the pilot’s third of five 10-week sessions, which take place at Westchester’s Ridge Hill shopping, dining and entertainment center.

Columbus, Ohio – Net income at Express Inc. fell 25% during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, dropping from $63.9 million to $47.9 million. Net sales declined 2% from $731.7 million, to $715.9 million.

Same-store sales rose 1%. The company cited heavy promotions as impacting its quarterly results, which did not meet Wall Street expectations. Express intends to start opening outlet stores beginning in May 2014.

Cleveland - Sherwin-Williams is launching an online Spanish-language platform, SWLatino.com, focusing on Hispanic homeowners, contractors and designers. Sherwin-Williams will feature tips, how-to articles and color information from leading Hispanic bloggers and Sherwin-Williams color experts.

The new site, integrated with Sherwin-Williams Facebook and Twitter accounts, will connect Latino paint and color professionals, homeowners and designers with Spanish-language content.

Thorofare, N.J. -- The ECR Shrinkage Group, an expert group focused on shrink, with the support of merchandise availability solutions supplier for the retail industry Checkpoint Systems, is launching an online benchmarking tool, which enables retailers to understand how well they are managing shrink compared to others and the relative strengths and opportunities of their loss-prevention program. The tool provides global benchmarks on the strategic, organizational and operational standards that underpin an effective shrink management strategy.

Gardendale, Ala. – Independent grocer cooperative ROFDA, the Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates, has appointed Park City Group director of business development Christina Romas to its seven-member advisory council. ROFDA’s advisory council was created to provide the organization’s leadership team with input, information and feedback representing the interests of ROFDA’s associates and suppliers in support of its mission.