Financial/Banking

General Mills has elected David M. Cordani to its board of directors.  Cordani, 48, is a president and CEO of Cigna Corporation, a global health insurance and health services company.  

Cordani joined Cigna in 1991 and has held a variety of finance and operating positions, including CEO for CIGNA Healthcare and president and CEO for Cigna Corporation.  

New York -- Retail and consumer merger and acquisition activity in the United States during the third quarter of 2014 was driven by the highest volume of mega deals (deals with a value of over $1 billion) in at least seven years, leading to overall transaction value jumping significantly during the quarter when compared to the year ago period, according to PwC’s U.S. retail and consumer deals insights Q3 2014 report.   

Dallas --SRS Real Estate Partners has introduced San Francisco’s Investment Services Group, led by capital markets industry veteran Michael Federle. Federle has been hired as senior VP of the new team, which will be tasked with representing institutions, developers, and high-net-worth individuals in the sale, acquisition, and financing of quality real estate assets.



The National Retail Federation has made a major change to the format and content of its annual trade show and convention, known as the Big Show, which is held every January in New York.

Bedford, Mass. -- Almost 50% of consumers have fallen victim to at least one data breach and 45% say they are not confident they know all instances of when their personal information has been leaked. However, according to a survey conducted by RSA, the security division of EMC, in conjunction with the Ponemon Institute of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, in many cases behaviors toward security have not changed.  

Industry uses strengths to aid children in need

Modern retail is a global effort to provide consumers with the goods and services they need.

In the rapidly changing landscape for payments, market leader Vantiv is changing more rapidly than most as evidenced by dramatic growth in its transaction volume, revenues and profits.

Each of those measures surged during the company’s third quarter ended September 30. Thanks in large part to acquisitions, transaction volume in the merchant service group increased 31% which caused net revenue to increase 42% to $297.7 million. The company’s total revenue increased 31% to $697.1 million while adjusted net income increased 21% to $96.9 million, or 49 cents a share.

Dallas -- CBRE Capital Markets’ Retail Investment Properties team announced the sale of Towne Square Shopping Center in Plano, Texas. Dallas-based Norman J. Hoppenstein purchased the retail center from an undisclosed seller.