Sales & Marketing

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. has promoted Steve McKinney to president of the Fry's Food Stores division. Fry's operates 119 food stores in Arizona.

McKinney, 57, has been VP of operations at the company's Ralphs division since 2007. He succeeds Jon Flora, who passed away unexpectedly two weeks ago.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Aspira Networks has launched the Aspira 2.0 platform, the company's next-generation DNS service for network operators and retailers. The newly enhanced services are designed to make it easier to monetize broadband networks.

Aspira aggregates networks and retailers to optimize shopping opportunities for consumers. According to the company, its products enhance the shopping experience and increase retailer exposure to consumers, while creating a revenue opportunity for network operators.

Columbus, Ohio — DSW Inc., Designer Show Warehouse has announced two new store openings, one in Baltimore, and another in Lafayette, La.

DSW operates 385 stores in 42 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Oak Brook, Ill. -- McDonald’s Corporation is partnering with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the Clinton Foundation and American Heart Association, to increase customers’ access to fruit and vegetables and help customers make informed choices in the nutritional value of their orders.

Consumer packaged goods companies are poised to gain a more robust offering of shopper insights from an expanded relationship between TiVo Research and Analytics and DunnhumbyUSA.

Atlanta – The Home Depot, Inc. reportedly expanding the national rollout of Redbeacon, its online handyman referral service. According to Bloomberg, Home Depot is making Redbeacon, which connects customers online to home repair professionals, in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Montana, and Alaska.

Home Depot now offers Redbeacon in 11 states and plans to roll out the service in additional states during the next two years. The retailer acquired Redbeacon, which was founded by three former Home Depot employees, in 2012.

In anticipation of increased store traffic this holiday shopping season, Jo-Ann has announced plans to hire more than 3,000 seasonal employees in stores across the country — a 14% increase over its non-seasonal in-store workforce.

Mashnatucket, Conn. -- Foxwoods Resort Casino is reportedly building a 300,000-sq.-ft. retail center that will house outlet shops. According to the Associated Press, Foxwoods is partnering with Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. to create a Tanger Outlets complex that will feature more than 80 retailers, including American Eagle Outfitters, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein and Nike.