OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Mississauga, Canada – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is reportedly expanding its Canadian operation, even as chief rival Target is exiting the country after spending $4 billion in an effort to open stores there. According to the Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart plans to spend $270 million on building 29 new Canadian supercenters and an expanded distribution network to support them.

Charlotte, N.C. - Belk Inc. has named Scott Kessler as CIO, effective immediately. Kessler, who will report to John R. Belk, president and COO, has served as Belk’s senior VP of omnichannel solutions delivery since March 2014.
 
Prior to that role, Kessler has more than 20 years of IT experience, nearly 10 years of which was with GSI Commerce Solutions where he was senior VP of products technology.

Washington, D.C. – President Obama is not pleased with how Staples and other large U.S. companies are handling employee health benefits. In an interview with BuzzFeed, Obama said that Staples and other corporations should not use the Affordable Care Act as an excuse to reduce employee hours or wages.

Atlanta – Much of the country is struggling with one of the snowiest winters in history, but The Home Depot Inc. is thinking green. Home Depot has begun filling more than 80,000 positions in the U.S. as it prepares for spring, the company's busiest selling season.

The company is now recruiting for positions both in its stores and distribution facilities. From sales and cashiers to operations and online order fulfillment, opportunities available include both permanent part-time and seasonal positions. Applications must be submitted online.

Washington, D.C. - Retail industry employment increased by 34,800 jobs in January 2015, as retailers held on and even added to their staffs following the holiday shopping season. According to data from the National Retail Federation, monthly gains occurred in the sporting goods, non-store (e-commerce), and general merchandise store verticals.

Total retail employment increased by 215,600 jobs on a year-to-year basis, according to NRF’s calculations, which do not include automobile dealerships, gasoline stations or restaurants.

Aliso Viejo, Calif. – Johnny Rockets has promoted James Walker to president of operations and development. Formerly Johnny Rockets' chief development officer, Walker was recently promoted because of his role in orchestrating the franchise's record growth and development since joining in December 2013.

San Francisco -- Delivery Agent, whose technology allows television viewers to engage with and buy directly from advertisements and television shows via web, mobile, and advanced television applications, has tapped board member James Peters as president and COO. Peters previously held key leadership roles at Office Depot, Staples and Ross Stores.

New York -- Starbucks Corp. founder and CEO — and currently Time Magazine cover boy — Howard Schultz has lots of opinions about politics and the national agenda, but he is not interested in running for president in 2016.

“I don’t think that’s a solution. I don’t think it ends well,” Schultz told Time in a wide-ranging interview its Feb. 16 edition.