OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Minneapolis -- Best Buy Co. said Tuesday that it has cut its 2011 seasonal hiring plans to about half of last year’s staff numbers, in a move to curtail costs. This year’s plans call for 15,000 holiday workers, compared with 29,000 hired last year.

Atlanta -- U.S. prosecutors have charged former Carter’s senior VP Joseph Elles with securities fraud, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Elles has been accused of lying about the company's financial situation and then selling shares of its stock when the price was artificially inflated.

Framingham, Mass. -- Staples said Tuesday it is promoting Christine Komola to CFO, effective Feb. 1.

Komola, a 14-year veteran of the company, will report to the company's vice chairman, John Mahoney, who has been CFO since 1996.

She has served as VP planning and control, senior VP and corporate controller and CFO of the company's website.
 

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar Stores said Tuesday that it has named longtime CVS/pharmacy executive Mike Bloom as its new president and COO to replace the departing R. James Kelly, who announced his retirement on Tuesday after 15 years with the company. Kelly will serve as vice chairman for the next six months to assist with the transition.

Bloom, formerly executive VP – merchandising, supply chain, marketing and advertising for CVS Caremark, will assume the position of president/COO.

Chicago -- Meeting the needs of aging consumers offers retailers and brand marketers a major opportunity going forward, according to a new study by global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney.

Mature consumers form a worldwide market segment that spent $8 trillion in 2010 and will be spending $15 trillion annually by the end of this decade, the study estimated. Based on current worldwide demographic trajectories, in five years there will be more people over the age of 60 than under five; in 30 years, there will be more people over 60 than under 16.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway announced that Dr. Kent Bradley has joined the company as chief medical officer, a newly created position focused on further enhancing and building Safeway's reputation as a healthcare innovator. He joins Safeway after a distinguished career in the U.S. Army, where he earned the rank of Colonel and served in a wide of range assignments.

Cincinnati -- Macy’s said it plans to hire approximately 78,000 seasonal associates for its Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, call centers, distribution centers and online fulfillment centers nationwide for the 2011 holiday season. The total is up about 4% from the approximately 75,000 seasonal associates the chain hired last year.

“We expect additional hiring this year given the continued sales growth in our business – both in-store and online,” said Terry J. Lundgren, Macy’s, chairman, president and CEO.

Canton, Mass. -- Dunkin' Brands Group, parent to Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, said Friday that its international president Neal Yanofsky has resigned the company by mutual agreement.

Dunkin’s has initiated a search for his replacement. In the interim, CEO Nigel Travis will assume reporting responsibility for Dunkin' Donuts International, and Neil Moses, Dunkin' Brands CFO, will assume responsibility for Baskin-Robbins International.