News

MOLINE, Ill. — Deere & Company has elected Cargill CEO Gregory R. Page to its board of directors. Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. 

Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the privately held company employs about 140,000 people in 65 countries and has annual sales of more than $130 billion.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway has appointed Land O' Lakes executive Barry Libenson as the company’s SVP and CIO. He succeeds David Ching, who retired earlier this year after 19 years with the company. 

As CIO, Libenson will oversee Safeway's extensive information technology business functions, reporting directly to Safeway EVP Larree Renda. 

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Seventh Generation, a leading green brand which has championed sustainability for 25 years, has acquired New York-based Bobble, a leading brand in the reusable, self-filtering water bottle category. 

LONDON — Boticca.com, a London-based global jewelry and accessories boutique, has partnered with U.S. start-up Olapic to encourage its customers to be fashion models — modeling the boutique's merchandise — via the popular app Instagram.

The boutique will showcase users' Instagram photos and regular photography in its online gallery.

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.

STRATHAM, N.H. — Timberland has released its 2012 CSR performance data, showcasing the company's sustainability efforts for that year.

Among those efforts were the following:
•    39% of materials used in Timberland-branded apparel were derived from recycled, organic or renewable sources
•    98% of footwear SKUs used leather sourced from gold or silver rated tanneries

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kid Brands announced late today that it has appointed James Christl as SVP and CFO. He replaces Guy Paglinco, who has resigned as CFO "to pursue other opportunities."

Paglinco has agreed to remain with the company full-time through July 5 to ensure a smooth transition, and has reportedly agreed to make himself available to the company for up to six months following his departure, if deemed necessary.

LONDON — The International Council of Shopping Centers’ executive committee has elected Marcus Wild, CEO of SES Spar European Shopping Centers, as divisional VP for the association’s European division.