Corporate Governance

Meriden, Conn. – Vestis Retail Group, parent company of Bob’s Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), has named James Petty as CEO effective July 8, 2013. Petty most recently served as president of retail stores for Cartier Inc. from 2007 to December 2012 and left the company after it relocated its retail group headquarters from Connecticut to Georgia. He also previously held executive positions at Limited Too and Gap Inc.

ECRM compared retail circular advertising in June 2012 vs. June 2013 and noticed some common overall trends across top retail chains. Although Staples and Walmart each saw large year-over-year increases in circular page count, page count was fairly stable overall, with none of these key retailers seeing a decrease of more than 13%.

Austin, Texas – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico is filing a complaint with the New Mexico Human Rights Bureau against Whole Foods Market on behalf of two Spanish-speaking employees.

The employees allege that in June 2013 a Whole Foods store in Albuquerque suspended them for a day for complaining about a company policy they say prevented them from speaking Spanish on the job. Both employees said they are still prevented from speaking Spanish.

Molson Coors Brewing Company has appointed former human resources director of Vodafone Vicky Cookson as the company’s chief people officer for Molson Coors Europe, based in Prague, Czech Republic, effective Sept. 1.

Cookson will report directly to global chief legal and people officer Sam Walker and join the European leadership team led by Mark Hunter. Cookson is human resources executive with international and cross-cultural experience. 

Minneapolis – Target has named former U.S. Senator and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to its board of directors.

Salazar, 58, was a US Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He was named Secretary of the Interior in January 2009 and stepped down in April 2013. Last month, he became a partner for the international law firm WilmerHale. Salazar is the 12th member of Target's board.

Mary Dillon resigned from the board of directors of Target last month after she was named CEO of Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens reported June sales of $5.8 billion, an increase of 2.5% from the same month in fiscal 2012.

June pharmacy sales increased by 2.9%, while comparable store pharmacy sales increased 3.3% and increased by a calendar day-shift adjusted 560 basis points. This year's June had one additional Sunday and one fewer Friday compared with June 2012, Walgreens reported. Calendar day-shift adjusted comparable store pharmacy sales were negatively impacted by 280 basis points due to generic drug introductions in the last 12 months. 

Parsippany, N.J. -- Budget Car Rental and Simon Property Group have combined forces to market to Latin American travelers. When these travelers book a Budget car in Boston, Miami, New York City and Orlando, they will receive a shopping voucher that can be redeemed for a package of coupons, discounts and other special offers at Simon destinations in those cities:

Burlington Mall and Wrentham Village Premium Outlets in Boston

Dadeland Mall, The Falls, Miami International Mall and Sawgrass Mills in Miami

Rockville, Md. -- Federal Realty Investment Trust has announced that Russ Joyner has joined the company has VP-general manager of Assembly Row. Joyner’s responsibilities will include management and operations at the mixed-use development project in Somerville, Mass. Currently under construction, Assembly Row will open in mid-2014.