OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores announced that Enrique Ostale, president and CEO of Walmart Chile, formerly D&S, has been named EVP, president and CEO of Walmart Latin America, where he will oversee Walmart's operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.

Redmond, Wash. -- Microsoft announced that J.C. Penney is rolling out Microsoft Office 365 as part of its effort to simplify and modernize technology solutions.

New York -- According to multiple reports on Thursday, congressmen Henry Waxman (D-Rep., Calif.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Rep. Md.) have said that Wal-Mart Stores CEO Mike Duke and other senior-level officials at the retailer were informed about allegations of bribery in the retailer’s operations in Mexico in 2005.

The two congressmen cited documentation obtained by their staffs, which discussed allegations of corruption regarding a store in Teotihuacan.

New York -- Modell’s Sporting Goods said Wednesday it has named Charles Castaneda chief merchandising officer for the chain, a promotion from his current position of EVP planning and allocations.

The company has also moved Jay O’Brien from general merchandising manager of footwear to general merchandising manager of sporting goods, to succeed the recently departed Bill Hackett.  

Jeff Schaffer has been promoted to general merchandising manager of footwear.

Chicago -- Walgreens on Wednesday told shareholders at the chain’s annual meeting in Chicago that it will continue to push the envelope of traditional drugstore retailing. Going forward, the company said it is focused on three areas of opportunity:

Salt Lake City -- Overstock.com said Thursday it is launching the Club O Dining Rewards program in partnership with Rewards Network.

The enhancement to the e-retailer’s current loyalty program allows members to automatically receive reward dollars in their Club O account equal to 5% of their total dining bill when they visit participating Club O Dining Rewards restaurants and pay their bill using any credit or debit card they have registered with their Dining Rewards account.   

San Francisco -- Gymboree Corp. has hired a second senior-level Gap Inc. executive, naming Gap North America finance VP Evan Price as its new CFO.

Price, who also served as VP of Old Navy, will take over Gymboree’s top finance slot on Jan. 21, joining new CEO Mark Breitbard, former Gap North American division president.

Little Rock, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Arkansas governor Mike Beebe announced Thursday that Wal-Mart will join an Arkansas program intended to change the way that private insurers and Medicaid pay for services. Wal-Mart’s Arkansas employees’ insurance plans, which cover about 57,000 workers, will become a part of the statewide program.

The retailer has committed $670,000 toward a tracking system to measure the program’s success as well as distribute information about the reforms.