News

NEW YORK — Chairman, president and CEO of Macy’s Terry J. Lundgren will be one of three men honored at the 72nd annual Father of the Year awards luncheon to be held Tuesday, June 11, at the Grand Hyatt New York Hotel. 

Lundgren will be in the company of President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the nation’s 42nd Commander-in-Chief, and Major Jackson Drumgoole II, who served four tours in Iraq. 

Santa Monica, Calif. — Private investment firm Clearlake Capital Group has begun the process of acquiring the Retail Solutions Group of Agilysys through a newly formed affiliate, Kyrus Solutions. The transaction is expected to close in the early summer. 

Staples and Boys & Girls Clubs of America have brought teen actor Jake T. Austin on board for the 6th annual Staples for Students national school supply drive.

Austin will be featured in the campaign’s public service announcement, now available online and airing on television and radio stations starting next month.

The world of e-commerce is gearing up for the 9th annual Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition, which will be held at Chicago’s McCormick Place West from June 4-7. This year's theme is "Breaking Barriers."

Thanks to a rebounding economy, dads this year stand to get more than just a boring tie, a pair of socks or a pat on the back for Father's Day.

According to industry research firm IBISWorld, Father's Day sales are expected to total $13 billion this year, a 2% increase from 2012. Traditional Father’s Day gifts, such as automotive accessories and clothing, will take a backseat to gift choices reflecting economic recovery, like home-improvement tools. This increase is mainly due to the overall rise in consumer spending during the past year.

Redmond, Wash. -- Nearly half of employees report that social tools at work help increase their productivity, but more than 30% of companies underestimate the value of these tools and often restrict their use, according to a study by Microsoft Corp.

New York -- When retailers discuss a social media strategy, they usually mean something involving reaching out to customers through popular social media sites like Facebook or Twitter. And while that is an important marketing technique to engage modern consumers, social media can also serve as a powerful internal communications and engagement platform. For example, quick service hamburger chain Red Robin uses the Yammer enterprise social network to directly link employees to senior management and each other in real time.

New York -- Jamen Shively, a former Microsoft corporate strategy manager, announced plans to invest $100 million over the next three years in a national chain of marijuana stores. The stores would sell both medical-use and adult-use (recreational) cannabis. Shively is now CEO of San Diego-based Diego Pellicer, which describes itself as the first legal premium marijuana retailer in the United States.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Genesco, a specialty footwear and apparel retailer operating numerous brick-and-mortar and online retail brands including Journeys and Lids.com, reported declines in earnings and net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2014.

The company’s earnings declined 11% to $18.5 million from $20.8.

Net sales decreased 1.5% to $591 million from $600 million. Same-store sales fell 4%. Earnings remained slightly ahead of the company’s expectations.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway has appointed Barry Libenson as senior VP and CIO, effective July 1, 2013. Libenson replaces former Safeway CIO David Ching, who retired earlier this year. He will oversee IT business functions and report to executive VP Larree Renda.

Libenson previously served as senior VP and CIO at Land O’Lakes Inc. since 2010. Other positions he has held include VP of business at Ingersoll-Rand and executive VP at Surety.com.