OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Health insurance executive joins Lowe's board
Lowe's has appointed an executive of the health insurance industry to its board of directors.

The retailer said that its board of directors has appointed Bertram L. Scott, 65, to the board, effective immediately. The announcement brings Lowe's board of directors to 12 members, 11 of whom are independent.
Former P&G exec named to Target board
Target's board of directors has added a former executive of the retailer's largest supplier.

The board announced it has elected Melanie Healey, former group president, North America, of the Procter & Gamble Company, as a new director, effective immediately.

Three Ways Retailers Can Increase Safety and Sales on Black Friday

Even with a slight decline this past year, Thanksgiving weekend has upheld its reputation as the most popular shopping weekend of the year. Last year, over 130 million people shopped or planned to shop over the holiday weekend, according to the National Retail Federation. More specifically, a whopping 80 million of those shoppers participated in Black Friday shopping.
Walgreens expands telehealth in big way

Telehealth is coming to more users of Walgreens’s mobile app. The company has announced that it has expanded MDLive’s telehealth services through its app to users in 20 additional states — bringing the total states eligible to 25. The company also launched an updated telehealth experience within the app.
Veteran grocery merchandiser joins Meijer

Meijer is adding a new senior leader to its merchandising organization with more than 30 years of grocery experience.

Meijer has named Tod Pepin as the retailer’s senior VP of Foods.
Toys ‘R’ Us to open Thanksgiving Day for third year in a row

While some retailers are taking a stand this year against opening on Thanksgiving Day and even Black Friday, Toys “R” Us thinks its customers will be ready to do some shopping after their turkey dinners.

The toy retailer announced that its stores will open at 5 p.m. on Nov. 26, the same time as last year. Stores will remain open through 11 p.m. on Nov. 27.

Last month outdoors retailer REI said it would close on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. GameStop, At Home and Staples have also announced they would not open on Thanksgiving.
How far will Walmart go to catch shoplifters?

Everyone knows shrink is a major issue, and retailers are continually rolling out more sophisticated means of preventing shrink. However, according to Fortune, Walmart’s shrink prevention efforts have included the use of “sci-fi” facial recognition technology to identify suspected shoplifters, and there may be privacy concerns. [Fortune]
Meijer pledges $400,000 to toy-giving program

Any toy purchased at Meijer through Nov. 30 will help the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer grant a child's wish this holiday season.

Meijer is once again donating a portion of customer purchases made in the toy department, up to $400,000, to children's gift-giving programs throughout the Midwest.
Energy and Operational Efficiencies Retailers May Be Missing Out On

Excess energy consumption in retail can exceed 30%, which means there is a huge opportunity for savings that many retailers s have not yet fully explored.

Retailers spend nearly $20 billion annually on energy expenses, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. By saving just 15% from optimizing operations and eliminating waste, we can save $3 billion as an industry.
Ex-Home Depot CEO named to Macy's board

Macy's is adding a retail industry and corporate governance expert its board of directors.

The retailer has named Frank Blake, recently former chairman and chief executive officer of Home Depot, its board. Blake’s election increases the size of the board to 14 members.