OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

New York -- Kohl’s Department Stores and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions have teamed up with Plug and Play to participate in Plug and Play Retail, an accelerator program that is focused on technologies and teams innovating in the retail industry. (Based in Sunnyvale, California, Plug and Play is a business accelerator that specializes in growing tech startups.)

Winston-Salem, N.C. – Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. has named Anthony N. (“Tony”) Thompson, 47, as president and CEO, effective June 1. Thompson joins the company from Papa John’s International Inc., where he most recently served as president and COO.

Chicago -- General economic conditions, federal, state and/or local regulations, and retail competition/consolidation ranked as the top three risk factors cited by retailers, according to a survey by BDO USA. Rounding out the top five: U.S. and foreign supplier/vendor concerns and labor (health coverage, union concerns, staffing) concerns.            
 

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Corp. CEO Kevin Mansell is said to be seeking a new chief merchandising officer who would be next in line to take the CEO reins.

A report by the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, suggested that Mansell is scouting for a new chief merchant to not only take the merchandising lead for the discount department store chain but also to serve as the key player in a potential succession plan. The chief merchant slot has been vacant since the departure of Donald Brennan last March.

Scottsdale, Ariz. -- JDA Software Group, a leading provider of supply chain, manufacturing planning, retail planning, store operations and collaborative category management solutions, announced that CEO Hamish Brewer is leaving the company. Baljit (Bal) Dail, a technology executive who has served as JDA’s chairman since May 2013, has been named interim CEO, effective immediately. Dail will lead the search for a permanent successor.
 

Los Angeles -- The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has named Karen Cate as CFO and Jeff Schroeder as VP operations.

Cate most recently served as the VP controller of Trader Joe's Company, where she was responsible for the integrity of financial processes and reporting for the retail grocery store, warehouses, and distribution operations.

Schroeder brings more than 30 years of experience with large multi-unit operations in the restaurant industry. He most recently served as VP brewery restaurants for Karl Strauss Brewing Company.

Ann Arbor, Mich. – Domino’s Pizza has developed the Group Ordering Tool as an online feature that calculates an estimate of the number of pizzas needed to feed a specific amount of people. Domino's customers who use the Group Ordering Tool will also receive a discount on the menu price of their pizzas.

New York -- Accessories retailer Vera Bradley has named former OfficeMax executive Thomas R. Giacalone as VP e-commerce.

"Growing our e-commerce business is a critical piece of our five-year strategic plan, and we are very fortunate to have someone of Tom Giacalone's background and caliber join Vera Bradley to lead this important function," said CEO Robert Wallstrom.