IBM

Some of the biggest names in the retail and consumer packaged goods industry were recognized by the American Cancer Society with 2012 Excellence in Philanthropy Awards.

Strongsville, Ohio -- The International Retail User Group, formerly the IBM Retail User Group, said Tuesday that the organization’s name has been officially changed to the “International Retail User Group.”

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Hasbro has been named as one of America’s most community-minded companies. Hasbro was selected in the top 10 by "The Civic 50," the first comprehensive ranking of S&P 500 corporations that best use their time, talent, and resources to improve the quality of life in the communities where they do business. This list also includes companies such as IBM, Citi and AT&T.

Milwaukee -- Opus Development Corp. announced the scheduled openings of T.J Maxx, Ulta Salon and Cosmetics, Rue 21 and Charming Charlie’s by Oct. 28 at the company’s Shoppes at Fox River development in Waukesha, Wis.

Opus broke ground on the first development in Phase II of the Shoppes at Fox River in April 2012. The development includes more than 47,000 sq. ft. of retail space on six acres of land adjacent to the existing Phase I buildings, which opened in 2009 and include Target and Pick ‘n Save.

To address the challenge of increasingly complex supply chains, IBM this week introduced a new inventory optimization solution as part of its Smarter Commerce initiative.

Target’s senior executive ranks are filled with women, but don’t look for any of them on Fortune’s recent listing of the 50 most powerful women.

Topping the list in the October 8 issue is IBM president and CEO Ginni Rometty followed by PepsiCo chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi, Hewlett-Packard president and CEO Meg Whitman and Kraft Foods chairman and CEO Irene Rosenfeld. Gracing the cover is Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer who recently defected from Google.

Three top executives from Walmart were among the 50 most powerful women recognized recently by Fortune.

The business publication put Sam’s Club president and CEO Rosalind Brewer at 12th on the list with Walmart U.S. EVP and COO Gisel Ruiz ranked 21st. Also making the list in 36^{th place was Susan Chambers, Walmart’s EVP of the global people division.}

Armonk, N.Y. -- Study results released Tuesday by IBM revealed that while U.S. consumers shopped this July and August, they were not buying clothes and notebooks for their children but rather items for the home.

According to IBM’s findings, the biggest retail gains this back-to-school shopping season came from home goods purchases which increased 30% in July and more than 25% in August over their respective months in 2012.

Walmart was ranked second on this year’s Latina Style 50 Report, the publication announced earlier this week.

Now in its 15th year, the Latina Style 50 report seeks to identify companies that are providing the best career opportunities for Latinas in the U.S. Cable television operator Comcast was this year’s top ranked company.

Orlando, Fla. -- IBM announced Thursday at its Smarter Commerce Global Summit that RadioShack Corp. is working with IBM's cloud-based solutions to improve price image and pricing operations over the entire pricing lifecycle.

The solutions being used by RadioShack are part of IBM's cloud-based merchandising analytics software and services, which help companies define the optimal price points and product mix based on customer buying trends.