H-E-B, LP

(The following is an excerpt from the new book, Extraordinary Experiences: What Great Retail and Restaurant Brands Do, by Denise Lee Yohn.)

Scott McClelland seems an unlikely candidate for his picture to appear under a "Why Is This Man Smiling?" headline. As spokesperson and president of the Houston food/drug division of Texas-based grocery store chain H-E-B, McClelland has plenty of reasons to be worried.

Grocery e-commerce has thus far mostly been the province of large vertical players like Kroger, mass merchandisers like Target and Wal-Mart, and online platforms like Amazon and Instacart.

However, a successful regional grocer is throwing its Stetson in the grocery e-commerce ring. Texas-based H-E-B, one of the nation's largest regional grocery retailers with more than 370 stores in Texas and Mexico, is making 50,000 food, drugstore and general merchandise products available to purchase and ship at its corporate site.

Abercrombie & Fitch continues its efforts to polish its brand image.

The retailer announced that Jeanetta Darno has joined the company as VP of diversity and inclusion in a role that will include “enhancing the existing global diversity and inclusion best practices throughout the organization.”

Former Walmart Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer Duncan Mac Naughton has joined the board of directors of CROSSMARK, a sales, marketing and merchandising services company focused on the retail and consumer goods industries.

CROSSMARK CEO Steve Schuckenbrock in an internal company announcement said it is a privilege to have Mac Naughton join the company’s board given his extraordinary retail industry experience and leadership from both a manufacturer and retailer perspective.

The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA) has named former HEB executive Michael J. Eardley as its new president and CEO. Eardley succeeds Carol Christison, who passed away in March, after leading the association for 31 years.

Eardley will join the IDDBA on August 25 from HEB Grocery Company in San Antonio, Texas, where he has worked for the past 13 years in various roles with increasing responsibility, becoming the director of deli, cheese and prepared foods in 2009.

Atlanta – Supply chain technology provider Manhattan Associates Inc. both signed and expanded implementation agreements with a number of retail clients during fourth quarter 2013. New retail clients signed during the quarter include Arcadia Group, Body Central Stores, Desigual, and Woodcraft Supply.

In addition, Manhattan expanded relationships with existing retail customers such as Aldi, Belk, Cornerstone Brands, Devanlay SA (Lacoste), HEB Grocery, Phillips-Van Heusen, and Toys "R" Us.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Less than three months after joining Walmart’s merchandising organization as an executive VP, Duncan Mac Naughton on Friday was elevated to the role of chief merchandising officer for the U.S. stores division.