Education

As part of its ongoing strategy to drive sustainability innovation, Staples will be giving away $25,000 in new tech products to 10 “eco-focused” schools in Canada in 2015.

Publicly funded schools that are focused on the environment are invited to enter the contest atStaples.ca/PowerEco and share their eco initiatives for a chance to win. The Staples Superpower your School Contest runs through Jan. 31.

They are disruptors, dreamers, givers, influencers and power players. The National Retail Federation Foundation has announced its inaugural list of the 25 people shaping retail’s future, and many of the names might be unfamiliar.

The best and the brightest college students interested in retail careers will receive $100,000 in grants from the National Retail Federation (NRF) on Jan. 11 in New York City.

The NRF Foundation will award the scholarships to 24 outstanding students as a part of its Next Generation Scholarship program.

This year students will also be awarded a travel scholarship to attend NRF’s Big Show and NRF Student Program in New York City.

Former top Sears executive Mark Cohen is at it again with harsh words recently about Sears holiday performance and long term viability.

Cohen, former chairman and CEO of Sears Canada turned teacher at Columbia’s business school, appeared on CNBC to share his views on a holiday season with top line growth that appears to have exceeded earlier forecasts.

“Sears again is going to be an enormous loser,” Cohen said.

Michael Huseby was named CEO at Barnes and Noble after previously serving briefly as the retailer’s CFO and then president.

Huseby will also serve on the company’s board and oversee the 673 store retail group led by CEO Mitchell Klipper and the 695 store college group led by CEO Max Roberts. Huseby joined Barnes & Noble in March 2012 as CFO and was named president in July 2013.

Office Depot has been awarded two contracts valued in excess of $400 million.

The retailer will be partnering with Region 4 Education Service Center and TCPN, which offers cooperative contract solutions to K-12 schools, local governments, colleges and universities. The new agreements with Office Depot include office and school supplies, furniture, technology products and copy and print services provided at significant discounts and savings to eligible public agency customers.

Mansfield, Connecticut - Charter Realty and Development has leased space at the East Brook Mall in Mansfield, Connecticut, to Dollar Tree. Dollar Tree has taken 9,733 sq. ft. and will be joining anchor tenants Kohl’s, Dress Barn, TJ Maxx, Michael’s, Olympia Sports, Radio Shack, and Applebee’s.   The 151,377-sq.-ft. center has signalized access from Route 195 (Storrs Road) and services 34,000 student, faculty and staff members of the University of Connecticut and Eastern Connecticut State University.

GAINESVILLE, Fla - More than 40 major retail chains, including The Home Depot, Walmart, Kroger and Target, formed a specialized research council to facilitate the use of science to curtail theft and violence. As part of this effort, A specialized University of Florida research team has been formed to interviews offenders, analyzes large datasets, and conducts field experiments to adapt and devise new crime control methods and technologies.