Corporate Governance

High-end department store Von Maur plans to open its 30th location on October 18 in Oklahoma City. The new location will be the company’s first in the state and will be part of the city’s Quail Springs Mall.

The new store will open in a space that used to house a Sears, and will undergo a complete facelift. Von Maur will create a brick façade on the exterior and sell brands like Brooks Brothers, Hugo Boss and Coach.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Sam’s Club has purchased an approximately 13-acre parcel to build its new store at Village at the Peaks in Longmont, Colorado. Sam’s Club plans to build a new 136,000-sq.-ft. store to anchor the northernmost location in the project.

The 480,000-sq.-ft. Village at the Peaks is being developed by NewMark Merrill Mountain States and is scheduled to open in late 2015. Other key anchors Whole Foods, Gold’s Gym and a state-of-the-art Regal Cinema.

Framingham, Mass. – Staples Inc. is reportedly in negotiations with the state of New York to resolve a dispute about the terms of an agreement to sell numerous items to New York state agencies and qualifying non-profits for a penny each. According to the Wall Street Journal, Staples agreed to honor the one-cent prices on 219 items for three years in order to win a state office and school supplies contract.

Seattle – Amazon.com reported a second quarter net loss of $126 million, compared to a net loss of $7 million in the same period last year, as it continues to spend heavily on investments. The loss was nearly double what Wall Street higher expected. Operating expenses rose 24% to $19.36 billion.

Net sales increased 23% to $19.34 billion in the second quarter, compared with $15.70 billion in second quarter 2013. Net sales met Wall Street expectations. A favorable change in foreign exchange rates boosted revenues.

A heightened emphasis on e-commerce, store closures and operational efficiencies are among the strategic initiatives underway at Aaron’s where the operator of 2,100 stores is looking to restore growth of furniture, electronics, appliances and accessories.

The company posted disappointing second quarter results which prompted CEO Ronald Allen to elaborate on several strategies the company had highlighted earlier this year.

PepsiCo announced that James Schiro has resigned from the company's board of directors for health reasons, effective immediately.

Schiro is the former CEO of both Zurich Financial Services and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He was elected to PepsiCo's board of directors in 2003 and served as the company's presiding director from May 2010 to May 2013. Most recently, Schiro served on PepsiCo's nominating and corporate governance committee and its compensation committee.

The Home Depot has donated $81,000 to a rural retreat for wounded veterans and their families. The money will go toward building a barn and run-in for horses, as well as some garden project at the Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness.

New York -- American Apparel Inc. announced  four new directors to its board, including the company’s first-ever female board member, Colleen Brown, a former CEO of Fisher Communications, and former Walgreens executive Joseph Magnacca, who took the reins as CEO of RadioShack last year.  

The other new directors are  David Glazek, a partner with hedge fund Standard General, which holds a nearly 44% stake in American Apparel, and Thomas J. Sullivan, a director of Media General.