OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Ikea goes live with Kansas’ largest rooftop solar array
Merriam, Kansas -- Ikea announced it had officially plugged-in Kansas’ largest rooftop solar array, atop its recently opened store in Merriam. The 92,000-sq.-ft. solar array consists of a 730.17-kW DC system, comprised of 2,394 panels, and will produce approximately 986,800 kWh of electricity annually for the store, the equivalent of reducing 680 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).
McDonald’s reveals initial steps, leadership team for turnaround plan
Oak Brook, Ill. – McDonald’s Corp., which recently reported a 33% year-over-year decline in profits for the first quarter of fiscal 2015, is revealing the first steps of its turnaround plan. Beginning July 1, 2015, McDonald's will operate under a new organizational structure with the following market segments:

• U.S.: The company's largest segment, accounting for more than 40% of the Company's 2014 operating income;

Former PetSmart CEO joins board of home décor chain At Home

Garden Ridge, Texas -- Décor superstore retailer At Home said that Former PetSmart CEO and chairman Phil Francis has been selected as an independent member of the board of directors of décor superstore retailer At Home. The retailer has been acquiring senior leadership talent with public company experience which has some industry experts suggesting a stock offering could be in the company’s future.
Potbelly promotes executive to VP of operations

Chicago - Potbelly Corp. has promoted Julie Younglove-Webb as its new senior VP of operations. Younglove-Webb will oversee all aspects of company operations.

Younglove-Webb joined the Potbelly 2008, as a general manager and then a district manager before assuming various operations roles and being promoted to her latest role as Central Zone VP, overseeing 250 shops. She replaces John Morlock, who will now serve as senior VP of ops growth.
Sally Beauty investigates unusual card activity

Denton, Texas - Sally Beauty Holdings Inc. has announced it is currently investigating reports of unusual activity involving payment cards used at some of its Sally Beauty stores in the United States. The retailer reported a security breach that may have exposed fewer than 25,000 customer credit card numbers in 2014; media reports indicate this is a separate incident.
Canadian Tire opens second digital innovation lab; plans new store

Toronto - Canadian Tire Corp. is opening its new “'Digital Garage” in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, in Canada's “Silicon Valley North.” The new facility is the second digital innovation lab for Canadian Tire, situated near its Communitech lab, and will allow the company's top digital innovators to develop new in-store and online technologies at a faster pace.
True Value Company names former Office Max exec as CFO

Chicago -- True Value Company, one of the world’s largest hardware cooperatives, announced that Deborah O’Connor will join the company as senior VP and CFO, succeeding current CFO David Shadduck who left True Value effective April 30.
Report: Costco sues Johnson & Johnson, Utah

Issaquah, Wash. – Costco Wholesale Corp. is reportedly off to a litigious start in the first half of 2015. According to the Wall Street Journal, Costco is suing Johnson & Johnson’s Vision Care division for allegedly fixing prices on contact lenses.
Sunoco L.P. names new chairman; shuffles board

Houston - Sunoco L.P. has appointed Matthew S. Ramsey as chairman of the board. Ramsey succeeds Sam L. Susser, who has resigned from the board to pursue other new business interests.

Ramsey has served as a director of Sunoco L.P. since August 2014, serving as chair of the audit committee and serving on the compensation committee. Ramsey also serves as a director of Energy Transfer Equity L.P. and is chairman of the audit committee, as well as a member of the compensation committee.
Wal-Mart shuffles executives, organizational structure

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is shuffling a number of key executives and also tinkering with its organizational structure. Veteran Wal-Mart operator Mike Moore, who currently serves as executive VP of the 613-unit Neighborhood Market division, will transition to a new executive VP role with oversight of Wal-Mart’s much larger 3,421-unit supercenter operation in the U.S.

Assuming Moore’s previous position is Wal-Mart West executive VP Julie Murphy.