Human Resources

Top food executives at Walmart are presumably in the crosshairs of Safeway recruiters now that longtime chairman and CEO Steve Burd has announced his retirement.

Beachwood, Ohio -- DDR Corp. announced that senior executive VP and CFO David J. Oakes has been named president of the company, effective Jan. 1.
 
Oakes will remain CFO, and will continue to report to CEO Daniel B. Hurwitz.
 
Oakes joined DDR as executive VP of finance and chief investment officer in April 2007. He was promoted to senior EVP finance and chief investment officer in December 2008, and CFO in February 2010.

In the first installment of its new Case Study series, CSA Online offered an insider’s look at the conception and initial rollout of the southern Calif.-based fast-casual concept PizzaRev. Likened to “the Chipotle of pizza,” this innovative chain lets customers choose from an artisanal array of toppings to craft their own pizzas. Using a 900-degree, stone-hearth oven, pizzas are ready in about three minutes, all at a cost of less than $8 per pie.

Global freight management firm Geodis Wilson named Eric Martin-Neuville as chief operating officer and a board member.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Thursday by Bloomberg showed that consumer sentiment climbed last week and U.S. companies added more workers than projected in December.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index rose to minus 31.8 in the period ended Dec. 30, its highest since April, from minus 32.1 a week earlier, according to the report. Figures from the ADP Research Institute showed a 215,000 increase in employment, the largest since February, while the Labor Department said more Americans filed claims for jobless benefits last week.

CHICAGO — The Hillshire Brands has appointed former Kraft executive Brian Davison as SVP of corporate strategy and development.

Davison will be responsible for acquisition, merger and divestiture activities, strategic planning and implementing high impact projects. He joined the company on January 2, and will report to Sean Connolly, CEO.

By Kristin Graham Koehler, [email protected]; and Brian P. Morrissey, [email protected]

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Dollar Tree intends to expand its 603,000-sq.-ft. distribution center in Marietta, Oklahoma by an additional 400,000 sq. ft.

The leading operator of discount variety stores in North America which sells everything for no more than $1 will create more than 100 new full-time positions as a result of the expansion.