C-SUITE

Target Corp. has named Don Liu as executive VP, chief legal officer and general counsel, effective Aug. 22, 2016.   Liu will oversee all legal, corporate governance and government affairs matters for the company. He will report to chairman and CEO Brian Cornell and serve as a member of Target’s leadership team.  

Bob Mariano, CEO of the Roundy’s Supermarkets Inc. division of The Kroger Co., will retire effective Sept. 1, 2016.   After retiring, Mariano will serve as strategic adviser to Kroger and Roundy's for two years. Don Rosanova, president of Mariano's, and Michael Marx, president of Roundy's Supermarkets Wisconsin, will continue to serve in their current roles leading the two supermarket divisions.  

Two mid-sized U.S. and Canadian chains are joining forces to create the third-largest pet specialty retailer and the largest small format, neighborhood specialty pet retailer in North America   Pet Valu and Pet Supermarket have merged to create a combined business named Pet Retail Brands. With more than 930 stores, it is expected to generate approximately $1 billion in system-wide retail sales across the U.S. and Canada. Pet Retail Brands will have stores from the East Coast to the West Coast and from Miami to Vancouver.  

Staples Inc.is looking north of the border for an executive to lead its North American operations.   The office supply giant is promoting Steve Matyas to president of North American retail. Matyas had previously served as president of Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros since July 2000, and will continue to serve as a member of the company’s executive committee.  

A 30-year industry veteran is taking day-to-day control of the Oracle Retail global business unit.   Oracle has appointed Ray Carlin as senior VP and general manager, Oracle Retail. Carlin will be responsible for leading the Oracle Retail global business unit and report to Mike Webster, Oracle’s senior VP and general manager, retail and hospitality.  

It’s the end of an era for Belk Inc.   The retailer announced that Tim Belk will retire as CEO of the company in July 2016. Lisa Harper, CEO of Hot Topic, will succeed Belk as CEO, effective July 5.     The news comes less than a year after Belk, which operates 293 stores in 16 Southern states, was acquired in a $3 billion deal by Sycamore Partners. The private equity firm also owns Hot Topic.        

Sobeys Inc. has named a former Home Depot executive as the Canadian retailer's chief merchandising officer.   Lyne Castonguay will oversee all aspects of Sobeys go-to-market strategy, with responsibility for category management, marketing, data insights, research, procurement, private label and merchandising as well as the company's digital strategy.  

Michael O’Hanlon, who has been an executive with Wayfair Inc. for a decade, is transitioning to a new role with the company.   O’Hanlon has been named VP of government and industry relations. Previously Wayfair’s VP of corporate and business development since September 2006, O’Hanlon will now spearhead government relations strategy and ongoing collaboration with legislators, policymakers, regulators and other industry leaders at the federal, state and local levels.