News

Petco has named Larry Rutkowski as EVP and CFO.

"Larry is a highly accomplished executive with a proven track record of successful financial leadership for both public and privately-held companies," said CEO Jim Myers. "His unique skillset and experience in a diverse array of industries will serve us well as we continue to advance Petco's leadership position in pet specialty. We're thrilled to add Larry to our executive team."

Los Angeles – Peter J. Nolan, 55, one of three managing partners of private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners, is leaving his post. Leonard Green holds investment stakes in major retail chains including J. Crew, Petco, The Container Store, and Topshop/Topman.

Nolan will serve as a senior advisor to Leonard Green and also serve as a board member of several companies in its portfolio. He is leaving to devote more time to philanthropic activities.

Whole Foods Market made a $46,784 donation to Solid Ground, a Seattle-based organization with a mission to build a community to end poverty. Throughout 2013, shoppers who visited any of the six Seattle-area Whole Foods Market stores had an opportunity to participate in the Bag Hunger program, with a cash donation to Solid Ground at the checkout registers.

Dallas – The global mobile commerce market will grow from $116.1 billion in 2014 to $467.3 billion in 2019. According to a new report from MarketsandMarkets, in terms of geographies, North America and Europe are expected to be the biggest markets in terms of revenue contribution, while Asia-Pacific and Middle East-Africa are expected to experience increased market traction during the forecast period.

Lakewood, Colo. – Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, parent company of the Einstein Bros. Bagels, Noah’s New York Bagels and Manhattan Bagel Company brands, has rolled out the cloud-based ServiceNow platform. Einstein retail brands are now automating and managing service relationships across the global enterprise through a single system of record.

Digital interactions influence 36 cents of every dollar spent in the retail store, or approximately $1.1 trillion, according to the latest study from Deloitte Digital. The study also found that by the end of 2014, that number will climb to 50%, or $1.5 trillion of total store sales.

The study, "The New Digital Divide," quantifies the extent to which consumers' use of desktop and laptop computers, tablets and smartphones influences brick-and-mortar store sales.

Kimberly-Clark has teamed up with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Christina Milian to launch an integrated Celebrate Family UNity ("FUN") platform that leverages social media to not only retain existing consumers but also to reach out to new ones.

An integral part of the program is the Family UNity ("FUN") Song web app where families can customize their own "FUN song," share it on social media and download it as a ringtone.

Eastman Kodak Company has named Eric-Yves Mahe as SVP and director of sales strategy and operations. The board of directors also has elected Mahe a corporate officer of Kodak, making him a member of the company’s executive council.

In this newly created role, Mahe will be responsible for formulating a strategy to drive and measure sales of Kodak’s portfolio of hardware, consumables, software and services. Mahe also will advise Kodak’s senior management team on software, OEM partnerships and the sale of complex solutions.