OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Plano, Texas – Coffee press manufacturer Bodum Group is reportedly suing J.C. Penney Co. for breach of contract. According to Reuters, Bodum filed a lawsuit in the New York State Supreme Court on Aug. 30 alleging the retailer did not live up to an agreement to build an agreed number of in-store Bodum specialty boutiques by March 2013.

 New York - Wayne Kulkin, former vice chairman of Stuart Weitzman, has been appointed CEO of the company, effective immediately. Kulkin will continue to report to Stuart Weitzman, executive chairman of Stuart Weitzman.

"Wayne has been a true partner over the last 23 years,” said Weitzman. “His passion, creativity and business acumen have been essential in driving our growth across diverse channels, and I am confident that Wayne will be equally instrumental in his new role as CEO.”

Bentonville, Ark. – Starting Sept. 21, consumers will be able to receive immediate credit toward the purchase of a new smartphone when they trade in their current smartphone at more than 3,600 participating Wal-Mart stores and Sam's Club locations across the U.S. Wal-Mart's trade-in program offers an immediate credit from $50 to $300 for more than 100 smartphones.

New York - The importance of brand has increased tenfold for consumers in the past 17 years, currently standing at 30%. When the first wave of the Brand Keys Fashion Index was conducted in 1996, only 3% of U.S. apparel buyers felt fashion brands and their associated logos were of increasing importance to consumers.

Carlisle, Pa. -- Ahold USA said that Giant Food of Landover, Md., divisional president Anthony Hucker is leaving his position, effective Sept. 13, to pursue another opportunity.

Ahold USA executive VP operations Bhavdeep Singh will oversee the Giant-Landover division on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is named, the company said.
 
Hucker was appointed president of Giant-Landover on October 2011, having previously worked at Walmart.

New York -- Despite their love of the internet, Generation Y shoppers remain loyal brick-and-mortar shoppers, according to survey results by the Urban Land Institute. One caveat, however, is that the physical shopping experience must be exciting.

Akron, Ohio - Sterling Jewelers and Zale Corporation have reached a negotiated settlement of a lawsuit pending in The United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The suit, originally filed in November 2012, alleged that Zale was engaging in false advertising by calling one of its diamonds “the most brilliant diamond in the world.”

The settlement will go into effect March 2014. Details are confidential.

Washington, D.C. -- Walmart VP of global technology services and strategic partnerships Fumbi Chima has been elected to the World Affairs Council – Washington, D.C., board of directors.

Chima is responsible for Walmart’s vendor management office, project management office and its global technology services office in India, as well as the IT asset management team.