Education

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — A provider of retailer supplier education services has named a 31-year Walmart veteran as its president and CEO.

8th & Walton said Mike Cockrell, who most recently served as chief merchandising officer of Walmart's Indian joint venture with Bharti before his retirement in February, would lead the company's efforts to accelerate growth initiatives while enhancing existing services.

Washington, D.C. -- On the heels of First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden’s “Joining Forces” military support announcement in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Walmart has announced its Military Family Promise. 

The commitment guarantees a job at a nearby store or club for all military personnel, and military spouses, employed at Walmart and Sam's Club who move to a different part of the country because they or their spouse have been transferred by the United States military.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Winn-Dixie Foundation announced that it has donated nearly $1.3 million to 81 charities throughout its operating areas in the Southeast. 

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Walmart announced that, through the Walmart Foundation, it has donated $319 million in cash and $480 million in in-kind contributions around the globe during the fiscal year ending Jan. 31. According to Walmart, the company's U.S. giving grew by 64%, largely due to donations of produce, meats, poultry and other nutritious food to local food banks from Walmart stores, Sam's Club locations and distribution centers.

The art and science of researching how shoppers decide is at a crossroad.  The  shopper insights discipline originally developed when retailers began saying to CPG manufacturers that they have a thorough understanding of behavioral data and its findings, but lack a genuine grasp of how their customers and non-customers think and the “why” that drives that behavior.

New York City -- Optimism was in the air at Chain Store Age’s 47th annual SPECS conference, in Grapevine, Texas. Spirits were up, and so was attendance, dramatically so, among both the show’s attendees and exhibitors.

PURCHASE, N.Y. -- PepsiCo has announced the appointment of Maura Abeln Smith to the position of EVP government affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective May 5.  Smith will succeed Larry Thompson, who is retiring from the company to assume a teaching position at the University of Georgia Law School.

Smith, who will report to PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi, will be responsible for the company's worldwide legal function and government affairs organization.

Ronald Sargent and Frank Brown -- the CEO of Staples and the dean of an international business school, respectively -- have been nominated for election to The Home Depot's board of directors at the company’s upcoming annual meeting on June 2.

Separately, David Batchelder has informed the company that he has decided not to stand for re-election at the annual meeting. Batchelder, founder and principal of Relational Investors LLC, has been a director since 2007.