Corporate Governance

Minneapolis -- Christopher & Banks Corporation announced that Peter G. Michielutti has been promoted to executive VP, COO and CFO, effective immediately.

Michielutti was previously senior VP and CFO, having joined the company in April 2012.

The Woodlands, Texas - Conn’s, Inc. has named William E. Saunders Jr. to its board of directors, Saunders will also become a member of the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

Saunders has served as CEO of Community Choice Financial since June 2008, after joining the company as its CFO in March 2006. In May 2014, he was appointed as chairman of the board.

Publix Super Markets and Weis Markets reported respectable second quarter sales growth, but profits were harder to come by.

Publix, the nation’s fifth largest supermarket chain, said sales for its second quarter increased 6.6% to $7.5 billion, with 1.3% of the gain related to the timing of Easter. Same store sales increased 6.3%. Despite the top line improvement, Publix said profits increased slightly less than 1% to $404.1 million from $400.9 million while earnings per share increased by a penny to 52 cents.

Tewksbury, Mass. – The Attorney General’s offices of Massachusetts and New Hampshire have warned the Market Basket supermarket chain that it must follow the letter of the law in terminating any employees involved in walkouts and demonstrations that have been occurring since July 18. According to the Boston Globe, a joint letter to Market Basket co-CEOs Felicia Thornton and James Gooch from the two offices states that they are aware Market Basket may start replacing workers on Aug. 4.

Staples has teamed up with Fundable, a business crowdfunding platform, to launch a new contest called Crowd2Shelf, which invites entrepreneurs and small businesses to leverage crowdfunding for a chance to sell their products in Staples stores as well as online.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. - Christine Lee has been appointed executive VP and chief merchandising officer, starting on Sept. 3. Lee served as senior VP/general merchandise manager, women’s apparel, accessories and design at Pacific Sunwear of California Inc since 2010.

Prior to Pacific Sunwear, Lee spent 18 years with Urban Outfitters Inc. Brieane Breuer, who joined PacSun in 2007 and is the company's current VP of women's design, will replace Lee on an interim basis.

Conn’s has appointed William E. Saunders Jr. to its board of directors. Saunders will also become a member of the audit committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee.