Ford Motor Co.

The ripple effects of Walmart’s wage action have extended to Plano, Tex., where home décor retailer At Home has upped the minimum wage ante with a more generous pay plan for hourly workers.

At Home, the company formerly known as Garden Ridge, operates 83 stores in 22 states. Beginning in May, the company said it would pay full-time hourly employees a minimum of $10 an hour and the minimum hourly rate for part-timers will increase to $9 an hour.

Wolverine Worldwide has appointed Gina R. Boswell to the company's board of directors.

Boswell is EVP, personal care, for global food, personal care and household products company Unilever. She has held numerous senior leadership positions with other leading global companies, including Avon Products, Ford Motor Company and Estée Lauder Companies.

The MillerCoors company is giving away a 2013 Ford Fusion SE as part of an innovative Facebook campaign targeting NASCAR fans to promote responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings has appointed former Eli Lilly CIO Jeff Balagna as its new EVP and CIO. In his new role, Balagna will be responsible for all technology and infrastructure initiatives for the company in its support centers and in-store.

Chicago, Ill. — Dillard’s, a fashion apparel, cosmetics and home furnishings retailer, has selected OpinionLab to extend its omni-channel Voice of Customer program, including its digital, mobile and in-store experiences, with precise insight into what its customers want and need. 

Dillard’s will leverage OpinionLab’s patented software to get customer feedback at all touchpoints and gain actionable insight into how to deliver the best experience to consumers wherever they engage, research and shop.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — The Manufacturing Leadership Council, a global business network for senior industrial executives, has elected Dana S. Deasy, group CIO and group VP of information technology and services at BP, to the board of governors.

Albert Saltiel has joined AutoZone, the nation’s largest automotive retailer, as SVP of marketing and customer satisfaction.

Saltiel will report directly to AutoZone chairman, president and CEO Bill Rhodes.

"Al has spent many years working in both business to business and business to consumer environments," said Rhodes. "His experiences at Navistar, Sony and Ford are well suited for this position and we are excited to welcome Al to AutoZone."

Leading U.K. retailer J. Sainsbury named Jean Tomlin to its board as a non-executive director, effective January 1, 2013.

Tomlin’s appointment follows the previously announced retirement of Anna Ford from her role as non-executive director, effective December 31. In addition to her overall board contribution, Tomlin will chair the company’s corporate responsibility committee and sit on the remuneration and nomination committees.

TORONTO — Walmart Canada is leading the search for the next great business idea through its second annual Green Student Challenge.

The retailer is looking for teams of post-secondary students from across the country to convince some of Canada's most successful business leaders that they have the most compelling breakthrough idea to change business as we know it. A total of $100,000 in cash will be awarded including $25,000 to the winners and $25,000 to the winners' school.

Target for the first time this year was named to the annual listing of America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises compiled by the organization Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).