OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Atlanta -- Aaron's announced Thursday that David L. Buck and Tristan J. Montanero have each been promoted to SVP operations, effective Jan. 1.

Buck was previously VP southwestern operations, and Montanero was VP central operations.

Washington, D.C. -- Executives at Amazon, Kohl’s, Crocs and Lululemon have been named recipients of the National Retail Federation’s annual awards. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos received the Gold Medal Award, recognized for serving the industry with distinction and achieving a national reputation for excellence.

Fremont, Calif. -- Men's Wearhouse said Wednesday that menswear designer Joseph Abboud has been named the company's chief creative director.

According to the company, Abboud will leverage his industry and design knowledge to work directly with Men's Wearhouse's merchants and sourcing team to enhance and improve the company's offerings.

New York -- Shopper analytics firm Experian FootFall said Thursday that the final Saturday before Christmas – Super Saturday – could eclipse Black Friday as the top performer this holiday season.

London -- A report released Wednesday by the International Council of Shopping Centers and Path Intelligence found that, although U.K. consumers are stepping up their shopping at the nation’s shopping centers, the pace is still trailing 2011.

Schaumburg, Ill. -- A holiday shopping study released Wednesday by Motorola Solutions found that technology continues to radically transform the traditional holiday shopping experience, as 61% of surveyed retail managers believe that shoppers are better connected to information than in-store associates, increasing from nearly 59% in 2011 and 51% in 2010.

New York -- Luxury group LVMH announced Tuesday that Louis Vuitton’s new CEO has resigned suddenly, citing a “significant health issue” as the reason for the departure.

Jordi Constans would be replaced by Michael Burke, CEO since February of Bulgari, the Italian jeweler that LVMH added to its stable of brands in 2011.

Burke served as CEO of Christian Dior USA from 1986 to 1993, when he took charge of Louis Vuitton North America, becoming deputy CEO of Christian Dior Couture worldwide in Paris in 1997.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Survey results released Wednesday by customer experience management firm Empathica Inc. revealed that customer service is the key driver of brand advocacy in retail pharmacy.

In the survey, during which the Empathica Consumer Insights Panel surveyed consumers on their perception, attitude and opinion towards the retail pharmacy experience, Kroger ranked highest in customer service among both mass and small-chain pharmacies.