OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Naperville, Ill. -- OfficeMax Inc. announced Monday the unveiling of a new format, OfficeMax Business Solutions Center, in downtown Milwaukee. The 5,000-sq.-ft. store is designed to serve small businesses with services, solutions and products to help local entrepreneurs grow their companies.  

Located in The Shops of Grand Avenue, the new format replaces the previous OfficeMax store.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart is easing the pain at the pump by offering customers who use a Walmart MoneyCard or Walmart Credit Card a 15 cents per gallon reduction on their fuel purchase. Customers using a Walmart gift card will receive a 10 cent per gallon discount. Gas will be discounted at more than 1,000 Murphy USA and Walmart gas stations located at Walmart stores in 21 participating states.

Aurora, Col.  -- Walgreens has expanded its renewable energy initiative to Colorado. Clean-energy provider SolarCity announced it will implement solar systems at 22 Walgreens stores across 14 different cities in Colorado in the coming months, with the first installation completed in Aurora.

Worthington, Ohio -- Three high-profile big-box retailers received high marks for their mobile experiences, according to a survey by Prosper Insights & Analytics. In fact, among mobile users, 28.9% have used their mobile devices to shop at Walmart, 27.7% at Target, and 22% at Best Buy.

Oak Brook, Ill. -- Ace Hardware Corp. announced that John Venhuizen has been named president and CEO of the hardware cooperative. The appointment is part of a strategic leadership transition that was announced last fall.

In September, Venhuizen was named president and COO of Ace Hardware, while Ace’s outgoing leader Ray Griffith maintained the title of CEO.

Venhuizen is a 20+-year veteran of Ace Hardware, having served in a variety of capacities.

New York -- Whole Foods Market announced that Gotham Greens will be its operating partner in the nation’s first commercial- scale greenhouse farm integrated within a supermarket. The 20,000-sq.-ft. greenhouse, which is currently under construction on the roof of the forthcoming Whole Foods Market store in Gowanus, Brooklyn, is scheduled to open in late 2013.

Carlisle, Pa. -- Ahold USA announced Friday it has appointed Paul Scorza as chief information officer for the company, effective April 1.

Scorza, a 30-year veteran of IBM, will oversee Ahold USA information management functions, with a focus on systems and business processes to improve efficiency, effectiveness, controls and operations.

The U.S. subsidiary of Netherlands-based Royal Ahold, operates the Stop & Shop, Giant-Carlisle and Giant-Landover supermarket banners and the Peapod online grocery service.
 

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores said Thursday it has elected James F. Gooch to its board of directors and as chair of the audit committee.

Gooch had served as president and CEO, as well as CFO, of RadioShack Corp.