Corporate Governance

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco attorney Dennis Herrera has launched a lawsuit against Monster Beverage Corporation for violating California law with its marketing of highly caffeinated energy drinks to children as young as six years old, despite scientific findings that such products may cause "significant morbidity in adolescents" from elevated blood pressure, brain seizures and severe cardiac events.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — According to a survey conducted by Leger Marketing on behalf of Walmart Canada, Canadians would pay their mom an average annual salary of $161,287 per year.

A new ad campaign that seeks to show "the real Walmart" from the perspective of customers, employees and suppliers is sure to ignite renewed debate over the company’s impact.

Plano, Texas — Crossmark, a leading sales and marketing services company, has appointed Jim Rose as president of marketing services. 

The company sees the addition of Rose to its leadership team as a significant step toward bolstering its strong position and expertise in marketing services.

“We are excited to have Jim join our team to lead the further development and integration of marketing services that deliver value and growth for our clients,” said CEO Joe Crafton.

New York -- An OfficeMax shareholder sued the directors of the company on Thursday, seeking to block its acquisition by Office Depot Inc., Bloomberg reported. The investor called the proposed $1.2 billion all-stock deal "grossly inadequate".

"OfficeMax, if properly exposed to the market for corporate control, would bring a price materially in excess of the amount offered in the proposed transaction," the complaint filed by investor Eric Hollander said.

With the breathtaking Twin Peaks of the Colorado Rockies as backdrop, a new project underway in Longmont, Colo., is leveraging both the views and community demand to create a “top drawer outdoor village experience,” said Allen Ginsborg, managing director and principal of NewMark Merrill Mountain States, based in Fort Collins, Colo.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens reported April 2013 sales of $5.98 billion, up almost 4% from $5.76 billion in the same month a year earlier.
   
Despite declines in front-end sales, comparable front-end sales and customer traffic, slightly larger basket sizes and an almost 10% increase in comparable prescription fills helped boost overall sales.

Same-store sales increased 1.2% from April 2012.

Pittsburgh -- Dick’s Sporting Goods has named Andre J. Hawaux as executive VP of finance and administration and CFO. He will oversee finance, legal, strategic planning and risk and compliance.

Hawaux has more than 30 years of experience as a retail/CPG executive, most recently as president of consumer foods at ConAgra Foods. He has also served in different executive roles in several divisions of PepsiCo.

Washington, D.C. -- The retail industry, the nation’s largest private sector employer, added 29,000 jobs in April, indicating that retailers are seeing signs of an improving economy, and as a result, added to their payrolls heading into the summer, according to the National Retail Federation.

Still, the NRF sounded a cautious note.