OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Princeton Review CEO joins J.C. Penney board
Plano, Texas - Mandy Ginsberg, CEO of test preparation company The Princeton Review and online tutoring company Tutor.com, has been elected to The J.C. Penney Co. Inc. board of directors.
Report: Macy’s treads on Amazon’s turf
New York – There is no shortage of retailers treading on different pieces of retail turf dominated by Amazon.com, and Macy’s is reportedly joining the list. According to Reuters, Macy’s will partner with same-day delivery provider Deliv to expand same-day delivery of online purchases to several new U.S. markets before the end of the summer.

Ruby Tuesday appoints PepsiCo exec as marketing chief

Maryville, Tenn. - Ruby Tuesday Inc. has appointed David Skena as chief marketing officer.

During the past nine years, Skena progressed through PepsiCo Inc. with increasing levels of responsibility, most recently serving as the VP of premium and value brands.

In the chief marketing officer role, Skena will be responsible for developing and implementing effective marketing strategies and initiatives to build brand awareness and customer loyalty through traditional media, digital and social channels, and other innovative platforms.
German grocer Lidl applies business intelligence to U.S. expansion

Neckarlsum, Germany — German discount grocer Lidl is applying business intelligence technology to its planned expansion into the U.S.

Lidl, which operates nearly 10,000 stores and 130 distribution centers across 26 countries, will use solutions based on the SAP HANA business intelligence platform to support its IT strategy for entering the U.S. market.
Elizabeth Arden names brand president, signs Asia deal

New York - Elizabeth Arden Inc. has named JuE Wong as president, Elizabeth Arden brand, effective Aug. 3. Wong was previously CEO of StriVectin and Astral Brands and also held several leadership positions for brands including N.V. Perricone, M.D. Cosmeceuticals and Murad.

In addition, Elizabeth Arden has signed a joint venture agreement with Asian prestige beauty distributor Luxasia Ventures Pte Ltd for the Southeast Asia region. Elizabeth Arden expects to commence operations in the first fiscal quarter of fiscal 2016
Apana targets water waste

Spokane, Wash. – Automated water management solutions vendor Apana is trying to make saving water a little easier. Apana is generally releasing its cloud-based solution for commercial and industrial companies to save water and money.
Survey: Checkout could stand improvement

Beaverton, Ore. – Consumers have judged the checkout experience, and found it wanting. According to a new survey of about 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by Harris Poll for barcode technology provider Digimarc Corp., 88% of respondents want their store checkout experience to be faster.
NRF: Business seeks ACA changes

Washington, D.C. - Following up on last month’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the National Retail Federation (NRF) and other business groups today urged Congress to move quickly on reforms to the five-year-old healthcare law.

“We write to urge Congress to put priority attention toward easing the cost and compliance burdens associated with the Affordable Care Act,” the groups said in a letter to members of the House and Senate.
Sears Hometown & Outlet gets hometown recognition

Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc. is getting a little love from its hometown. For the third consecutive year, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores has been recognized as one of “Chicago's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” by the National Association for Business Resources.
Johnny Rockets goes to school

Aliso Viejo, Calif. – Count Johnny Rockets among those looking forward to starting college later this year. Johnny Rockets is launching a further expansion into college and university campuses through its Express prototype.

Johnny Rockets Express, a quick-service prototype aimed at universities, airports, malls and other entertainment destinations, offers flexible floor plans with options ranging from a 150-sq.-ft., free-standing kiosk to a 1,100-sq.-ft. restaurant.