Corporate Governance

AUSTIN, Texas — Michael Besancon, senior global VP purchasing, distribution and communications for Whole Foods Market, will retire from the company after more than 17 years of service.

Walmart’s goal of making food healthier and healthier food more affordable is a noble undertaking that has favorably affected the company’s reputation and put it in good stead with the Obama administration. The question that remains, as the company begins affixing to products and packaging its new “Great For You” food label unveiled this week in Washington D.C., is whether shoppers will behave in a manner consistent with their stated intentions.

Recently departed Sam’s Club president and CEO Brian Cornell is a little like legendary Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown in that both walked away from their professions at the height of their careers. However, unlike Brown who gave up football for good after his best season ever, no one is expecting Cornell to stay retired.

CENTURY CITY, Calif. — Fans of the "Ice Age" film franchise will find everything they need at Toys"R"Us ahead of the July 13 release of "Ice Age 4: Continental Drift." The retailer is set as the film’s exclusive toy destination in North America, featuring movie-inspired products and promotions that will launch on July 1. Teaming with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products, Toys“R”Us will offer an extensive merchandising program, including a toy line from Just Play and The Promotions Factory.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — As the Greenpeace's most sustainable U.S. grocer for seafood, Safeway already has a sterling reputation for providing its customers with a wide variety of responsibly-sourced fish. Now, the company is taking that even further by announcing that its Safeway brand skipjack (chunk-light) canned tuna will be responsibly caught using free-school purse-seine methods. The company will transition to the purse-seine method by the end of the year.

COSTA MESA, Calif. — Anna’s Linens has set itself for further expansion with new hires and promotions in its buyer department. The company has recently named Jennifer Knapp, senior buyer of window coverings, and has promoted Maggie Negrete to fashion bedding buyer.

NEW CANAAN, Conn. — Not long after Deloitte released gloomy predictions for consumer spending in 2012, another firm is out with a more sunny forecast. Retail sales will increase by 5.7% in 2012, according to a new report by Customer Growth Partners, a consulting and research firm serving retailers, vendors and institutional investors.

The report, “The Great Consumer Reset/The Great Retail Reset,” finds that falling household and credit-debt levels, along with higher savings rates, are fueling consumer spending. 

Atlanta -- Arby’s Restaurant Group said Friday that it has selected service provider BIAS Corp., based in Atlanta, to implement all of the needed Oracle applications and infrastructure. BIAS will serve as Arby’s long-term partner to provide EBS application managed services and support.

New Canaan, Conn. -- Retail sales will increase by 5.7% in 2012, according to a new report by Customer Growth Partners,  a consulting and research firm serving retailers, vendors and institutional investors.

The report, “The Great Consumer Reset/The Great Retail Reset,” finds that falling household and credit-debt levels, along with higher savings rates, are fueling consumer spending. 

New York City -- J.C. Penney has dropped its plans to open a store in the Kress Building downtown Seattle, according to The Seattle Times.

The chain signed a lease last May for two-thirds of the building, but the space is now being shopped around for sublease, the report said.

"This had nothing to do with Seattle or the location. The timing just did not match up with their new CEO," Seattle Pacific Realty broker Elizabeth Best, who is representing J.C. Penney in its search for a sublease tenant, said in the report.