Corporate Governance

By Krisha Brooks, VP engineering services, GMR

Whether the facility is a restaurant or retail storefront, owners and managers can agree sufficient lighting plays a key role in exterior facility safety. On a superficial level, lighting plays a significant role in presenting a warm and inviting storefront for customers. However, from a personnel, customer and branding standpoint, having adequate lighting in place that is regularly maintained, inspected and positioned makes an important difference towards alleviating safety and liability concerns.

NEW YORK — Walmart was the only traditional retailer to be named to marketing firm Ipsos' Most Influential Brands of the United States list.

Amazon and Ebay also made the list, which included such companies as Apple, Facebook, Visa and Procter & Gamble. Topping the list was Google.

PHILADELPHIA — Monetate, a technology solution provider that allows online marketers to leverage Big Data to create personalized online customer experiences, has announced the addition of two senior executives to its leadership team. John Healy joined as chief operating officer and David Stetson was named chief financial officer. 

SARASOTA, Fla. — Saks Fifth Avenue has revealed more details about its new two-level, 80,000 sq. ft. store in The Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota, Fla., which is presently under construction at the intersection of I-75 and University Parkway. The Mall at University Town Center is being co-developed by Taubman Centers and Benderson Development and is scheduled to open Oct. 16, 2014.

PayPal, an Ebay company, has acquired mobile app developer Duff Research, according to a reports.

The PayPal technology team will now include the Duff Research team of 18 mobile app developers will join the PayPal technology team.

The Duff Research team, according to reports, has built more than 40 apps and has won four Best of the Consumer Electronics Show awards and two technical Emmy awards. 

Lowe’s is competing in the price wars -- especially with Internet retailers -- by using the merchant mind-set of “dead net pricing.” 

Speaking at the UBS Global Consumer Conference Wednesday, Lowe’s CEO Robert Niblock described his company’s improvements in the price wars.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Hibbett Sports reported that net sales for the fourth quarter increased 14% to $217.4 million compared with $190.7 million for the same period last year. Comparable-store sales increased 4.9% on a 13-week to 13-week period.

Net income for the quarter increased 22.3% to $19.4 million compared with $15.8 million for the same period last year. Earnings per diluted share increased 23.7% to 73 cents for the quarter compared with 59 cents for the same period last year. 

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Shopatron, a provider of cloud-based, e-commerce order management solutions, has launched its allied commerce initiative – the next wave of its broad market expansion on the heels of a $4 million venture debt financing it completed in December 2012. 

Walmart CFO Charles Holley weighed in on the retailer’s growth priorities earlier this week during a presentation to investors at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Consumer & Retail Conference.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kid Brands, a manufacturer of juvenile and infant products has announced the appointment of Raphael Benaroya as president and CEO, effective immediately. The company intends to appoint a non-executive chairman of the board, although Benaroya will continue to serve as chairman until his successor is appointed, and is expected to continue to serve as a board member thereafter.