News

ConAgra, one of the world’s biggest food companies, has begun its search for new CEO, following Gary Rodkin’s announcement to the board that he plans to retire at the end of the company’s fiscal year, May 2015.

The board of directors has established a search committee, led by independent director Richard Lenny, to identify Rodkin’s successor. Lenny is the former chairman and CEO of The Hershey Co. and has served on the ConAgra Foods board since 2009.

The Walgreens Charity Classic, presented by the Seagate Country Club, is set for Nov. 6 to 9, 2014 in Delray Beach, the Country Club announced Friday. The Charity Classic will showcase the talents of 48 former LPGA Tour stars now playing the Legends Tour, the official senior tour of the LPGA.

The four-day event will also raise funds for three area charities: The Dan Marino Foundation, Achievement Centers for Children & Families and Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse.
 

Destination Maternity Corporation’s Ed Krell is stepping down as the company's CEO and as a member of its board of directors. Anthony M. Romano has been tapped as new executive chief and will be appointed to the board, effective immediately.

Hair care product manufacturer Paul Mitchell has launched a new social media campaign, #GivingIsMyStyle. The new campaign also accompanies a redesigned site that will showcase the company’s products and philanthropic efforts.
 

Nordstrom has launched its first-ever private label give-back brand, Treasure&Bond, which will be available in the T.B.D. clothing department at 86 stores around the country and on nordstrom.com.

Five percent of net profits of Treasure&Bond will go to nonprofits that work to empower women and girls.

Import volume at major U.S. container ports is expected to hit an all-time record in August as retailers concerned about the lack of a West Coast longshoremen’s contract rush to bring holiday season merchandise into the country, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

GameStop plans to offer customers more for their pre-owned video games with a new, streamlined trade-in program that will launch nationwide August 18.

The program will feature four price-points depending on whether a customer chooses cash or in-store credit for their items and whether they are a PowerUp Rewards Pro member.

For example, a customer who is a PowerUp Rewards Pro member who sells a game valued at $20 for credit could get $22, whereas a customer who sells that game for cash and who is not a PowerUp Rewards Pro member would get $16.

Sears Holdings has appointed former Tesco executive Alasdair James as president and chief member officer for the Kmart business.

In this role, James will be responsible for driving the Kmart format strategy, managing the Kmart P&L and aligning merchandise, marketing, pricing and selling with the needs and wants of Shop Your Way members.

Seattle – Online specialty jewelry and diamond retailer Blue Nile Inc. reported net income of $2.17 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2014, a 1% drop from $2.2 million in the second quarter of the previous fiscal year. Net sales also decreased 1%, to $1.06.6 million from $108 million.

Blue Nile cited falling diamond prices as having an adverse effect on its financial performance during the quarter.

Corpus Christi, Texas – Susser Holdings Corp. reported net income of $12.3 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to a net loss of $4.3 million in the same quarter a year earlier. The elimination of a debt refinancing charge helped bring Susser back to profitability.

Susser plans to open 17 new Stripes convenience stores by the end of the year. The company also is is on track to merge with Dallas-based natural gas and propane company Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) in the third quarter of fiscal 2014.