Events

Some of the biggest names in retail soon will be honored in the nation’s capital when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy host an annual event to recognize Energy Star Partners of the Year.

Among this year’s award recipients are Home Depot, Sears, Best Buy, Kroger, Kohl’s, Food Lion, Staples and JCPenney. The eight retailers are among 128 total companies being honored as Energy Star Partners of the Year from the roughly 16,000 companies who partner with EPA on the broad-based energy efficiency program.

The 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards show is April 19 and video and e-commerce retailer QVC has aligned itself with the event through a range of merchandising and live broadcast initiatives.

The 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards show is April 19 and video and e-commerce retailer QVC has aligned itself with the event through a range of merchandising and live broadcast initiatives.

Minneapolis – Best Buy president and CEO Hubert Joly now has something in common with Frank Sinatra — you can call him “Chairman of the Board.” Joly will succeed current chairman Hatim Tyabji, who is retiring from the board effective June 9, 2015, as board chairman.

Russell P. Fradin, president and CEO of SunGard and a Best Buy Board member since April 2013, will serve as lead independent director. Tyajbi, CEO of mobile data/video company Bytemobile Inc., has served on the Best Buy board since 2008 and as chairman since 2012.

Oak Brook, Ill. - Ace Hardware has launched the Ace Center for Excellence, a new division designed to share the retailer’s strategies and key principles of customer service.

The center’s goal is to help companies improve upon their customer experience based on Ace’s approach through customized solutions, such as keynotes and workshops.

McKinney, Texas -- CBRE | UCR announced that Moviehouse & Eatery has purchased 6.78 acres of land at Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. The land is located at the northeast quadrant of Custer Road and Highway 121.

Moviehouse will build a 40,000-sq.-ft., 10-screen movie theater to open in May 2016. This will be the theater’s third location in DFW.
 

The National Retail Federation is investing millions of dollars into research for the retail industry by creating a new center.

NRF plans to form a new department called the Retail Research and Analysis Center to bring together all existing research within NRF and expand upon the wide range of issue areas and trends already studied. The center will focus on four main areas: the economy, legislative and regulatory policy, the retail industry and consumers.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation announced a multimillion-dollar investment to form a new department within the organization focusing on industry research. The new Retail Research and Analysis Center will bring together all existing research within NRF and expand upon the wide range of issue areas and trends already studied.

The Center will focus on four main areas: the economy, legislative and regulatory policy, the retail industry and consumers.

Weis Markets Inc. is losing one of its longest serving executives after the company announced that the chairman of the board is stepping down.

Robert F. Weis will not stand for re-election to its board of directors at the company's annual meeting of shareholders on April 23, the company said.

"We are deeply indebted to Robert for his 69 years of leadership and tireless dedication to our company," said Harold G. Graber, Jr., a director and secretary of the company.

Best Buy is strengthening its commitment to educating Canadian kids about technology with the launch of a Geek Squad Academy.