OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Retailer looking for a new CFO
Niwot, Colo. -- Footwear marketer Crocs is on the hunt for a new CFO.

The company announced that Jeff Lasher, senior VP and CFO, is leaving the company to join boating supplies and accessories retailer West Marine Inc.

Lasher, who joined Crocs in 2009, will remain with the company through early November. He plans to join West Marine as CFO in November.

Mike Smith, Crocs senior VP for finance, has been named interim CFO effective Oct. 1 and will work closely with Lasher during a transition period.
Online services network taps former Best Buy exec as CEO
Indianapolis – With retailers like Amazon.com entering the online services market, online services network Angie’s List is tapping a veteran retail e-commerce executive to run the company.

Scott Durchslag, who served as president of e-commerce and global marketing at Best Buy from 2012-2014, has joined Angie’s List as president and CEO.

Customers can tap and go at BJ’s Wholesale Club

Columbus, Ohio -- Alliance Data Systems Corp.’s card services business has introduced an EMV-based co-brand credit card solution with tap-and-pay functionality for its retail partners.

The first of these dual-interface chip cards are co-branded with MasterCard and BJ’s Wholesale Club and the Fuel Rewards program. With this new functionality, customers can pay for purchases by tapping their card on a contactless-enabled terminal, making payments simple, easy and fast.
Dunkin’ Brands names former trade group exec as legislative affairs VP

Canton, Mass. - Dunkin' Brands Group Inc., the parent company of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, has named Michael R. Shutley as VP, federal & state government affairs.

Reporting directly to Karen Raskopf, chief communications officer, Shutley will work closely with senior management to develop and implement the company's legislative initiatives.

He will also advocate for Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins franchisees at all levels of government, both domestically and internationally.
Footwear brand adds two new exec positions

Long Island City, N.Y. -- Steve Madden has made two key executive promotions.

The company announced that Amelia Newton Varela has been named to the newly created position of president, and Karla Frieders has been appointed to the newly created position of chief merchandising officer.

Varela has more than 17 years of experience with Steve Madden in various roles, most recently as executive VP of wholesale.
Will retailers be hit with holiday labor shortage?

New York -- The improving job picture may spell trouble for retailers’ holiday hiring plans, according to a report by CNBC.

As online sales growth continues to grow, experts say retailers are already having trouble filling positions in the heart of their digital operations: their fulfillment centers.

Read the full CNBC story, by clicking here.
L.L. Bean’s grandson dies; turned Maine cataloger into global player

Freeport, Maine -- The man who turned a folksy Maine mail-order outlet into a global billion dollar-plus multichannel business has died.
European fast-fashion retailer opens DC on eve of U.S. expansion

New York -- An Irish fast-fashion leader is getting ready to make its U.S. debut.

Primark, known for its value prices and on-trend fashions for the entire family, leased a 677,000-sq.-ft. distribution center to support its entry into the United States.
Papa John’s makes exec moves

Louisville, Ky. -- Papa John’s International announced the promotions of Robert Thompson to senior VP of marketing and Edmond Heelan to senior VP of North American operations and global operations support and training.
Hy-Vee opening two retail clinics

Robbinsdale, Minn. -- Hy-Vee announced Thursday that it will open retail clinics in two new Twin Cities-area stores opening in September.

For the clinics in the New Hope and Oakdale stores, Hy-Vee has teamed with North Memorial Health Care, whose physician assistants and nurses will staff the North Memorial Express Clinics.